Patient Safety & Outcomes

Medicare expands coverage of breast cancer test

Biotheranostics, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Hologic, has received expanded Medicare coverage of its Breast Cancer Index test. The additional coverage became effective May 10, according to CMS.

IU Health caregivers lacked 'empathy and compassion' for Black physician who died of COVID-19, review finds

Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health is working to address implicit racial bias among staff and improve cultural competency after an external review found a "lack of empathy and compassion" in the care of a Black physician being treated at the system…

Washington hospital delays surgeries; COVID-19 not to blame

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center rescheduled surgeries May 11-12 after experiencing "unprecedented patient volume" in its emergency department, the Bellingham, Wash.-based hospital's CMO said in a statement shared with Becker's. As of May 13, all the capacity issues were resolved,…

Mild COVID-19 patients have low risk of long-term effects, study finds

COVID-19 patients who don't require hospitalization have a low risk of long-term, severe complications, according to a study published May 10 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Healthgrades recognizes 870 hospitals for patient safety, experience excellence

Healthgrades has identified 870 hospitals as the recipients of its 2021 Patient Safety Excellence Award and Outstanding Patient Experience Award, the organization said May 11.

Death rate low for pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19, study finds

Pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19 had lower death rates than women who were not pregnant, according to a study published May 11 in Annals of Internal Medicine.

NSAIDs safe for use in COVID-19 patients, UK study finds

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are not associated with higher COVID-19 mortality or case severity, according to a study published May 7 in The Lancet Rheumatology.

Adults over 65 getting fewer abdominal surgeries, study finds

A new study from the University of Chicago Medicine contradicts the assumption that rates of abdominal surgeries in older adults are rising as the U.S. population ages and as surgical advancements continue.

Bedside clinical decision support automation can mean the difference between life and death for pediatric patients

Children's hospital care teams deal with pediatric codes every day. The unfortunate reality is the outcomes following a pediatric code are often poor. However, that many codes related to cardiac arrest may be preventable.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock stops using lead aprons for X-rays

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health has ended the use of routine lead apron shielding for X-rays, the Lebanon, N.H.-based health system said May 10.