Patient Safety & Outcomes

COVID-19 long-haulers — even those who experienced mild cases — appear to have a significantly higher risk for substantial declines in kidney function, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

The Alzherimer's Disease International is warning that dementia rates "could rise significantly due to the neurological impact of COVID-19," CNBC reports.

Fully vaccinated people who later contract COVID-19 are significantly less likely to experience long COVID-19 compared to those who are unvaccinated, according to research published Sept. 1 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 

Medicare patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are treated for a wide range of complex conditions, including sepsis and kidney failure, according to an Aug. 30 report from the HHS'Office of Inspector General. 

A buildup of coronavirus in the lungs is likely tied to high COVID-19 mortality rates, according to a study published Aug. 31 in Nature Microbiology.

Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Ill., is pausing elective surgeries for nearly three weeks due to a lack of anesthesia providers, the Daily Herald reported Aug. 30. 

A year after being hospitalized for COVID-19, nearly half of patients still had at least one lingering symptom, a study published Aug. 26 in The Lancet found.

New Mexico has started a waiting list for intensive care unit beds for the first time amid a COVID-19 surge and short supply of nurses, according to USA Today.

Recent or current COVID-19 patients face a significantly higher risk of venous thromboembolism after surgery compared to those without a recent infection, findings published Aug. 24 in Anaesthesia suggest.  

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina's value-based payment model generated $197 million in cost savings in 2020, the insurer said Aug. 25.