Patient Safety & Outcomes

Twenty patients with diseased or damaged corneas experienced significant improvements in their vision after they received implants made from pigskin protein, NBC News reported Aug. 11.

Two years into the pandemic, millions of people are living with long COVID-19, and there is still no proven treatment for the condition, Nature reported Aug. 9. 

While the hospitalization and death rate for monkeypox are very low, some physicians are surprised by the severe pain symptoms are causing infected patients. 

The U.S. healthcare system should stop reacting harshly to employees who disclose medical errors, according to a physician at Boston-based Mass General Brigham. 

Some hospitals may classify admissions in a way that exempts them from elective-based patient safety indicator scores, or PSIs, leading to less reliable patient safety data, according to a study published in the August issue of The Joint Commission Journal…

Learning from mistakes generally is considered the upside to failure. But in healthcare, where staff members regularly face stressors and systemic issues that impede a strong culture of safety, creating that standard can be difficult.

A Senate committee found 70 people died and 249 developed diseases between 2008 and 2015 from organs they received in transplants after an investigation revealed deficiencies in the nation's transplant system, The Washington Post reported Aug. 3.

Physicians and advocacy groups said two long COVID-19 federal reports released Aug. 3 failed to address immediate needs of patients and recommendations for addressing the crisis, NBC News reported Aug. 3.

Rebounding COVID-19 symptoms may occur in nearly one-third of people infected with the virus, even if they haven't taken Paxlovid, early research suggests. 

Surgical smoke generated from operating equipment is a health hazard for patients, perioperative nurses, surgeons and healthcare staff. Many states have passed legislation requiring the elimination of surgical smoke, and affected health systems are now working to comply.