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June 2004
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
In this Issue:
Picis files infringement lawsuit against Surgical
Information Systems and Capsule Technologie
Olympus announces senior management
appointments in Medical Systems Group
Under-the-skin sensor could monitor blood sugar, toxins
Precision Dynamics Corporation
joins
CIMIT’s industry
liaison program to research RFID and patient safety
New York hospitals implement green cleaning
Low maintenance wound care, pulmonary therapy,
bariatric products
Picis files
infringement lawsuit against Surgical
Information Systems and Capsule Technologie
Picis, Inc., a provider of integrated operating room, anesthesia and critical care information solutions, filed suit June 28 in the U.S. District Court of Georgia, Atlanta Division against Surgical Information Systems, LLC (SIS) and Capsule Technologie for infringement of Picis’ U.S. Patent No. 5,161,222. The Picis patent protects and covers a software engine and drivers that capture vital signs data from a broad variety of medical devices. The patented invention, Click n’Link connectivity engine enables software systems to capture data from physiological monitors, ventilators and anesthesia machines for automated patient charting and storage in a database to assist nurses and physicians in their review and analysis of a patient’s condition. The founder of Capsule Technologie was an employee of Picis from 1995 to 1997. In 1997, Picis contracted with Capsule Technologie to augment its team in developing medical device drivers for the Picis patented Click n’Link connectivity engine. The contractual relationship between Picis and Capsule Technologie ceased in June 1999.
Olympus announces senior management
appointments in Medical Systems Group
Olympus has announced various senior management appointments in its Medical Systems Group, effective immediately. Appointments for newly created positions include John Cifarelli, vice president and general manager, Surgical Products; and Eric Halvorson, vice president and general manager, EndoTherapy Products. Promotions include Rick Harbuck, vice president, Sales, and Eddie Garces, vice president, Endoscopy Service. David McKinley remains group vice president, Medical Systems. Olympus has also opened a U.S.-based Business Development center located in Melville, N.Y. to support the U.S. -based entrepreneurial clinicians, and attract new business partners in therapeutic device markets.
Under-the-skin sensor could monitor blood sugar, toxins
A new under-the-skin sensor that would continually monitor blood sugar for diabetics could potentially be used to detect a variety of toxins and microbes such as E. coli, staph bacteria, and the terrorism agent ricin. Smaller than a dime and paper thin, the device uses technology similar to that in anti-theft tags, reports Scripps Howard News Service. “The vision of our work is a plastic sensor of virtually unlimited lifetime that could be placed in the tissue of the skin,” said Craig Grimes, a professor of engineering at Pennsylvania State University and lead author of a report on the sensor published by the journal Analytical Chemistry. Grimes said the passive sensors require no internal power supply and no connection outside the body. The person simply waves their hand or arm in front of a reader that automatically detects the sensor. Grimes said that he has not yet partnered to commercially develop the sensors.
Precision Dynamics Corporation (PDC), a provider of automatic wristband identification, joins CIMIT’s (Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology) industry liaison program. PDC plans to work with existing members, such as Radianse, Inc., GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc., and other research institutions to develop solutions that promote new technology for patient safety. Through collaborative research among PDC engineers and CIMIT investigators, the efficacy of RFID wristband solutions will be tested to improve patient safety, reduce errors and improve workflow. PDC is interested in participating in the Operating Room of the Future (ORF) and NICU (neonatal) programs at CIMIT. The research will examine the effectiveness of PDC’s Smart BandŽ RFID Wristband System as well as other technologies.
New York hospitals implement green cleaning
Two New York City hospitals have instituted green cleaning, becoming the city's first hospitals to replace traditional chemical-based cleaning products with more environmentally-preferable ones. The two hospitals, Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx, replaced cleaning chemicals such as ammonia and chlorine, with products made from biodegradable, nontoxic ingredients, such as soy, cornstarch and citric acid. Some traditional chemicals will still be used because they are mandated by law. Dr. Ellen Crain, vice chairperson of the North Bronx Healthcare Network (NBHN), which manages both hospitals, said, "We wanted to improve indoor air quality for children who come to the hospital suffering from asthma," according to Cleaning & Maintenance Management (CMM). “Some traditional hospital cleaning products can aggravate respiratory problems and cause headaches, eye, nose and skin irritation.” Initially, the hospitals were concerned that the green cleaning products might not be as effective as traditional products. However, according to Peter Lucey, director of environmental services for NBHN, the concern was soon put to rest, reports CMM. “The green cleaning products clean just as well as traditional cleaning products and are safer as well,” said Lucey.
Low maintenance wound care, pulmonary therapy,
bariatric products
Hill-Rom is now offering CareSelections(TM), a line of economical, simple-to-use and low maintenance products targeted to help healthcare providers, especially in Long Term and Long Term Acute Care facilities, achieve positive clinical and efficiency outcomes at an economical cost. This new offering currently includes low air loss wound care and pulmonary therapy surfaces to help in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers as well as to provide rotational therapy for patients with pulmonary complications. Also included is a variety of bariatric beds, therapy surfaces and accessories, such as wheelchairs, to help meet the needs of bariatric patients. These products require little maintenance and support, as well as minimal product training, to achieve positive clinical and efficiency outcomes. Basic installation procedures can be managed by the facility's own resources for easy implementation.
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
In this Issue:
Best Manufacturing Group LLC acquires Artex International, Inc.
Fitzgerald named new ASHES president
FDA clears medicinal leeches as medical devices
“Financing the Future” reports by HFMA/GE
Healthcare
National study rates Unibased
Systems Architecture, Inc.
best in surgery management systems
Healthcare Insights president presents at
Healthcare
Financial Management Association conference
Best Manufacturing Group LLC acquires Artex International, Inc.
Best Manufacturing Group LLC has acquired Artex International, Inc. Headquartered in Highland, IL; Artex is a manufacturer and supplier of textiles and garments for the U.S. textile rental and hospitality markets. Best Manufacturing, founded in 1914, services the textile rental, hospitality, healthcare and image apparel markets with a wide range of products, including, napery, uniforms and other textile products. The company is headquartered in New Jersey and has operations based in Massachusetts, Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois, Texas, Nevada, Canada and Mexico. The acquisition of Artex is part of Best’s strategy to focus on its core textile and garment businesses, expand product and service offerings and grow through acquisition. Terry Anderson, Artex’s existing Chairman and CEO, will lead a newly formed subsidiary of Best as President and CEO, reporting to Best Chairman and CEO, Scott Korman. This combination of Best’s institutional business unit and Artex, will conduct business as Best:Artex LLC.
Fitzgerald
named new ASHES president
Charles "Mike" Morley, CHESP, Director of Environmental Programs
Service for the Department of Veterans Affairs, resigned as ASHES President
effective June 22, 2004. An ASHES member since 1989, Morley has served on the
ASHES board since 2000. The ASHES Board, staff and members wish him success in
all his endeavors. ASHES President-elect Thomas "Tony" Fitzgerald, CHESP, Chief
of Environmental Management Service at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health
System, will assume the responsibilities of President for the remainder of the
2004 term. Fitzgerald will also serve his elected term as 2005 President.
Fitzgerald became a member of ASHES in 1998 after completing military service
and beginning employment with the VA. Since he joined the society, he has served
on the Membership Committee and the Certification Task Force. His
responsibilities at Palo Alto include environmental sanitation, pest control,
laundry, linen, waste management, recycling and more for a 1000 bed health care
system. “I am committed to environmental excellence and member/customer
satisfaction," said Fitzgerald. "I will strive to enhance our members' knowledge
base, our service delivery to our hospitals and communities, our continued
personal and professional growth and recognition, as well as increasing ASHES
organizational exposure, growth in membership and certification and other
activities.”
FDA clears medicinal leeches as medical devices
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has for the first time cleared the commercial marketing of leeches for medicinal purposes. Leeches can help heal skin grafts by removing blood pooled under the graft and restore blood circulation in blocked veins by removing pooled blood. Today they are used in medicine throughout the world as tools in skin grafts and reattachment surgery. Ricarimpex SAS, a French firm, is the first company to request and receive FDA clearance to market leeches as medical devices. The firm has been breeding leeches for 150 years. They are handled in a certified facility that tracks each lot. FDA determined that leeches are medical devices because they meet the definition of a medical device under the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act.
“Financing the Future” reports by HFMA/GE Healthcare
The fifth and latest report in the “Financing the Future” project, titled “What are the implications for providers regarding future capital need and supply?”, suggests three competencies hospitals can use to stretch their limited capital dollars, reports AHA News Now. The report recommends hospitals develop an integrated strategic and capital plan, effectively manage the organization's balance sheet and hire expert advisors if appropriate, according to AHA. The yearlong project is led by the Healthcare Financial Management Association, in partnership with GE Healthcare Financial Services. The sixth in the series of reports, “What are the policy implications of future capital need and supply?” is to be released in September. For more on the project and report, "Core Competencies in Capital Planning," visit http://www.financingthefuture.org/reports.htm.
National study rates Unibased Systems Architecture, Inc.
best in surgery management systems
KLAS™, a research and consulting firm specializing in monitoring and reporting the performance of healthcare's information technology (HIT) vendors, announced the publication of a Surgery Management Systems Study. The 296 page report positioned Unibased Systems Architecture, Inc.'s product periOperative Resource Management System (ORMS) first among HIT surgery management products from an impressive list of firms including GE, McKesson and Cerner. Win/loss, technology assessments, integration and general product overviews are provided. A two-step process is used to collect performance data including a series of direct product/vendor evaluations completed by healthcare provider organizations covering 40 performance areas; and in-depth, confidential interviews with IT executives and department directors completing the questionnaire to gather valuable insight into specific strengths, weaknesses and future expectations for the product and vendors. Based upon a score of 1 to 100 in the 40 performance indicators, USA outperforms all vendors with a score of 89.9, followed by SIS at 81.5, Per-se at 79.7, and Picis at 76.9. USA received a perfect score in the categories of “Keeps All Promises”, “A Fair Contract”, and “Timely Enhancement Releases”. More Information: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/6/prweb136483.htm
Healthcare Insights president presents at Healthcare
Financial Management Association conference
For the sixth consecutive year, Steven Berger, President of Healthcare Insights LLC (HCI), provider of financial management software for the healthcare industry, was invited to speak at Healthcare Financial Management Association's (HFMA) Annual National Institute (ANI) 2004 Conference, held June 27 through July 1. As a leading industry expert, Steven Berger hosted three educational sessions regarding financial management in healthcare facilities. On June 27, Berger conducted a session entitled, “Using Data to Make Better Management Decisions”, designed to analyze financial problems within healthcare facilities and seek solutions through management principles and analysis techniques. He also hosted, “Managing the Modern Medical Center with Metrics” session on June 28, which demonstrated how hospitals can operate successfully, achieve positive financial results and improve clinical outcomes by using metrics to set appropriate goals. Berger's final session, “Determining and Monitoring Revenue Cycle Key Performance Metrics”, highlighted specific revenue cycle metrics that can be used by hospitals to indicate the efficiency, effectiveness and productivity of their revenue cycle staff and management.
Monday, June 28, 2004
In this Issue:
HPN names Terrebonne General Medical Center
2004 Materials Management Department of the Year
Investment group acquires Regent Medical
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee
investigates hospital billing practices
Medicare lottery will extend early drug coverage
to 50,000
OraSure receives CLIA waiver for
OraQuick
Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test
MedAssets Net Revenue Systems introduces
charge capture audit tool
HPN names Terrebonne General Medical Center
2004 Materials Management Department of the Year
Healthcare Purchasing News (HPN), the market’s first choice for hospital and healthcare facility business news and analysis, has selected Terrebonne General Medical Center, a 314-bed JCAHO-accredited suburban community hospital located in Houma, LA, for its inaugural Materials Management Department of the Year Award. Terrebonne’s materials management team, under the leadership of director Kary LeBlanc, was chosen from among many applicants across the country based on logistics and supply chain performance in the areas of teamwork, innovation/creativity, savings to hospital, originality, long-lasting results, contribution to quality care, productivity, efficiency and customer service. According to HPN senior editor Rick Dana Barlow, “Terrebonne General Medical Center best represents the letter and spirit of HPN’s first annual Materials Management Department of the Year. We felt Terrebonne’s overall strategic attitude and direction, as well as tactical decisions, best embodied the operation our readers should emulate.” Specific accomplishments of the department cited by HPN include improving automation capabilities, helping nurses streamline supply replenishment, assuming responsibility for cath lab inventory management, revamping an excess equipment disposal program and establishing a formal product analysis committee structure. The HPN staff, along with editorial board member and AHRMM (Association of Healthcare Resource and Materials Management) President John Mateka, evaluated scores of noteworthy entries from small, mid-sized and large private and public hospitals, integrated delivery networks (IDNs), multihospital systems, group purchasing organizations and several government facilities representing three branches of military service. Adds Barlow, “Terrebonne really showed how materials management should take charge of supply chain activities. They not only displayed true leadership qualities but also demonstrated their usefulness to the organization as a whole.” Terrebonne, and its 22-member materials management team, will be featured in HPN’s July issue.
SSL America has approved the sale of their Infection Control Department, Regent Medical, makers of BiogelŽ and Hibi Brand products, to a private investment group. Regent Medical Ltd, has been formed to purchase the assets of the Regent Biogel and Hibi business from SSL International plc. The principal ownership of the new company will be held by a private equity fund advised by Apax Partners. Stuart Heap will lead the new business venture and take responsibility for the global Biogel and Hibi brands. Regent Medical is the provider of Biogel powder-free, latex surgical gloves, Biogel Skinsense™ powder-free, non-latex surgical gloves and the Hibi range of antiseptic products. SSL will provide transitional services for a period of up to ten months and will manufacture Hibi products for Regent Medical for a minimum period of two years.
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee
investigates hospital billing practices
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations discussed findings of its yearlong investigation of for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals’ billing and collections practices, saying that hospitals were charging uninsured patients “by far the highest rates of any segment of the population,” according to CongressDaily. Subcommittee Chair Jim Greenwood (R-PA) said, “An average working man or woman treated at a hospital can be stuck with a bill that is double what managed care or government programs pay. Then, to add insult to injury, they are sometimes aggressively pursued for these inflated debts.” According to Dr. Gerard Anderson, director of the Center for Hospital Finance and Management at Johns Hopkins University, hospitals typically charge uninsured patients two to four times as much as patients with health care coverage because of discounts negotiated with insurers, as reported by AP/Denver Rocky Mountain News, Several hospital executives testified that they have modified their billing policies since the investigation began, in part because HHS clarified that hospitals can extend discounted rates to uninsured patients without violating Medicare and Medicaid regulations. The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing on Tuesday on whether not-for-profit hospitals are providing sufficient charity care to justify their tax-exempt status. Over the past two weeks, trial lawyers have filed suit against more than 20 hospitals and health systems alleging that the institutions violated their obligation as charities by overcharging uninsured patients, reports the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report.
Medicare lottery will extend early drug coverage to 50,000
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said that some 50,000 people to be chosen in a lottery will get a head start on Medicare prescription drug coverage. More than 450,000 others will have to wait until 2006 for coverage. Medicare will accept applications for the lottery from July 6 to Sept. 30. It will randomly select 25,000 cancer patients and 25,000 people with other illnesses. Treatments for multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and six other illnesses that can be administered at home will be covered. People who apply by Aug. 16 will be eligible for an early draw, with coverage beginning Sept. 1.
OraSure receives CLIA waiver for OraQuick
Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test
OraSure Technologies, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), through its Center for Devices and Radiological Health, has approved a waiver under the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments of 1988 ("CLIA") for the Company's OraQuick(R) Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test. Specifically, the test has been waived for use in detecting HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies in oral fluid, finger stick whole blood and venous whole blood samples. With this waiver, the OraQuick(R) HIV-1/2 test, which provides results in just 20 minutes, can be used by more than 180,000 sites in the United States, including outreach clinics, community-based organizations and physicians' offices. The OraQuick(R) HIV-1/2 test is expected to be available for sale in mid-August.
MedAssets Net Revenue Systems introduces
charge capture audit tool
MedAssets Net Revenue Systems announced the introduction of CCA.Net Pre-bill, a charge capture audit tool for healthcare organizations. The software application is designed to work with existing IT assets and can be implemented across multiple facilities within a healthcare system. CCA.Net analyzes 100% of the detailed patient bills and identifies missed charges and overcharges on a pre-bill basis. MedAssets Net Revenue Systems’ CCA.Net is one product in a suite of tools created to improve the financial health of healthcare organizations. Other products include BPI.Net, a chargemaster monitoring and maintenance tool that ensures the accuracy of the charge data list, and CRM.Net, a price modeling tool designed to help hospitals determine a defendable and compliant pricing strategy for services.
Friday, June 25, 2004
In this Issue:
Army pharmacy techs conspire to steal insulin
New study shows copper could control MRSA contamination
100 million flu shots to be available
Nasal SARS vaccine shows promise in monkey trials
HCCA audio conference on OIG
compliance program draft guidance
Misys Healthcare Systems launches
Misys Laboratory-Collection Manager
ASHES commends VA
Evironmental Management
Service for 50 years of service
Army pharmacy techs conspire to steal insulin
Eleven people were indicted in a $2 million scheme to steal insulin and insulin test strips from Army base pharmacies for sale on the black market, reported the Associated Press. The indictment charges that between 2002 and 2004, nine Army pharmacy technicians conspired to steal the insulin and test strips from pharmacies at Fort Riley, KS; Fort Polk, LA; Fort Knox, KY; Ft. Lee, VA; Fort Gordon, GA; and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. The technicians were in charge of the post pharmacies. The wives of two of the technicians were also indicted. An estimated 40,000 vials of insulin were stolen. A 10-month investigation began after a traffic stop in Topeka, when police discovered stolen pharmacy goods in the possession of a Fort Riley pharmacy technician. None of the defendants is in custody; most are expected to voluntarily surrender. Initial appearances were set for July 12. The charges include conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce and conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
New study shows copper could control MRSA contamination
A new study shows promise for reducing MRSA contamination by using copper alloys for surfaces in healthcare facilities. Doctors C. William Keevil and J.O. Noyce of the University of Southampton, U.K., reported the study at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. The study compared the survival rates of the bacteria on stainless steel, the most commonly used metal in healthcare facilities, and on selected copper alloys. At room temperature, MRSA was able to persist and remain viable in dried deposits on stainless steel (C304) for periods up to 72 hours. For copper alloys – C77000 (55% copper), C24000 (80% copper) and C19700 (99% copper) – significant reductions in viability were achieved after 4.5 hours, 3 hours and 1.5 hours, respectively. The yellow brass rendered the bacteria completely inviable after 270 minutes, while the high-copper alloy took only 90 minutes. Dr. Keevil said the study strongly indicates that use of the copper metals in such applications as door knobs, push plates, fittings, fixtures and work surfaces would considerably mitigate MRSA in hospitals and reduce the risk of cross-contamination between staff and patients in critical care areas. He also explained that, despite the significant performance of copper alloys in this study, the survivability of MRSA on all metals at lower temperatures (39°F/4°C) is much greater, indicating that heightened hygiene is particularly imperative in those environments. More Information: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/6/prweb136016.htm
100 million flu shots to be available
The government has announced that vaccine makers will have available 100 million doses for this winter. This is in addition to the estimated 4.5 million doses of flu shots the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will keep in reserve for children. For the 2003-04 season, there were 86.9 million doses available, compared with 95 million in 2002. The CDC has also directed states to collect data on any children hospitalized with the flu and to report child flu deaths. Because such data has not been consistently collected, health officials do not know how many children typically die from the flu each year. In the last flu season, the CDC found 152 children who died from the flu; 70 percent of which had not received flu shots.
Nasal SARS vaccine shows promise in monkey trials
An experimental vaccine which was sprayed into the nose of monkeys has protected them against SARS and offers hope for immunization of humans, said scientists. Only one dose of the vaccine, developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), was needed to protect the monkeys. The researchers, who reported their results in The Lancet medical journal, immunized four African green monkeys with the vaccine and four others with a control vaccine. A month later they infected all the animals with the SARS virus. None of the monkeys given the SARS vaccine developed the disease, while all of the four who received the placebo did get SARS. The experimental nasal vaccine is the third potential SARS vaccine developed by NIAID but the first to be delivered directly into the respiratory track, which is the main infection site.
HCCA audio conference on OIG compliance program draft guidance
Compliance experts will review DHHS' Office of Inspector General's Draft
Supplemental Compliance Program Guidance for Hospitals, during the Health Care
Compliance Association's (HCCA) 2-part audioconference, on June 30 and July 7 at
12 Noon Central. The “OIG Draft Supplemental Compliance Program Guidance for
Hospitals” was published in the June 8 Federal Register. This new draft guidance
contains new compliance recommendations and an expanded discussion of risk
areas. HCCA's audioconference will provide important details on how this
guidance will impact healthcare compliance programs. Compliance professionals
will outline how the guidance differs from the OIG's 1998 Compliance Program
Guidance for Hospitals. Also reviewed are the OIG recommendations and ways to
effectively implement them into your compliance program. Part I, held June 30,
will focus on: self-reporting and changes to hospital payment systems. Part II,
held July 7, will focus on evolving and underappreciated fraud and abuse risk
areas; and hospital compliance program effectiveness. For details or to
register,
http://mailiwant.com/links.jsp?linkid=13593&subid=2067409&
campid=136433&type=0
Misys Healthcare Systems launches
Misys Laboratory-Collection Manager
Misys Healthcare Systems announces the availability of Misys Laboratory(tm)-Collection Manager. The clinical lab software application uses handheld technology devices to assist healthcare professionals in automating specimen collection and print labeling at the bedside. The result is increased accuracy of patient identification, specimen data entry and tube labeling at the point of care leading to improved outcomes, reduced errors and enhanced patient safety. ThedaCare(tm), a Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO)-accredited integrated delivery network serving Northeastern Wisconsin, is among the first Misys customers to use Collection Manager within their daily laboratory workflow. One notable benefit is the password-protected security feature that 'time stamps' or documents the hospital employee collecting the specimen and when the collection occurs.
ASHES commends VA Evironmental Management
Service for 50 years of service
On behalf of the ASHES board of Directors, membership and staff, ASHES thanks and congratulates the Environmental Management Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs on 50 years of creating and maintaining clean and safe environments for the care of our nation's heroes-the Veterans.
Thursday, June 24, 2004
In this Issue:
Ten million women without a cervix still get Pap tests
Bush supports condom use to prevent spread of AIDS
“Time Out” deadline approaches
Nellcor receives Frost & Sullivan’s 2004
Technology Innovation
award in
U.S.
pulse oximetry sensor market
Planar receives FDA's first
approval for
flat-panel display use in mammography
Ten million women without a cervix still get Pap tests
A new study shows that as many as 10 million women who have had hysterectomies and who no longer have a cervix are still receiving Pap tests to screen for precancerous cells in tissue scraped from the cervix. The study’s lead author, Dr. Brenda E. Sirovich, a research associate at the Outcomes Group at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in White River Junction, VT, said that testing women without a cervix can lead to false positives and wasted money, with tests ranging from $20 to $40. The study did not include women who have had a hysterectomy and still have a cervix. About 12 percent of the 85 million women who are currently being screened have unnecessary Pap tests, said Dr. Sirovich. The study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed national data on Pap testing and on hysterectomies over 10 years. When a woman does not have a cervix, a doctor scrapes cells from her vagina instead. Vaginal cancer is rare, and tests of vaginal cells are much more likely to result in false positives, possibly resulting in unnecessary vaginal biopsies, or even the removal of healthy vaginal tissue. The study pointed to the habits of doctors and the expectations of women as key to the high number of unnecessary tests.
Bush supports condom use to prevent spread of AIDS
For the first time, President Bush, in a report from The New York Times, encouraged the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS. He noted that the United States should “learn from the experience” of countries like Uganda in fighting the disease. Announcing modest changes to government financing for antiretroviral drugs in front of a church-affiliated group in Philadelphia, Mr. Bush also promoted sexual abstinence. He advocated the “A.B.C.” approach to AIDS prevention being implemented in Uganda, “That stands for: Abstain, be faithful in marriage, and, when appropriate, use condoms.” Mr. Bush said, the approach was working and was a "practical, balanced and moral message". He added that “in addition to other kinds of prevention, we need to tell our children that abstinence is the only certain way to avoid contracting H.I.V.”
“Time Out” deadline approaches
By July 1, all accredited hospitals, ambulatory care and office-based surgery facilities in the U.S. will be required to comply with the universal protocol outlined by the federal Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) to help prevent surgical mistakes. Before surgeries begin, the operating team must stop and verify the patient's identity, the procedure to be performed and site of the procedure. Failure to do so will mean a halt to Medicare reimbursements. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) called for a "National Time Out" on June 23rd. For more information, visit www.nationaltimeoutday.com or www.aorn.org.
Nellcor is the recipient of the 2004 Frost & Sullivan Award for Technology Innovation in the U.S. pulse oximetry sensor market for its contribution to patient care through inventive technology. Nellcor successfully developed and introduced an innovative pulse oximetry sensor that provides significantly faster response times in poor perfusion conditions. With the NellcorŽ MAX-FAST™ Forehead Sensor, Nellcor expanded its pulse oximetry sensor product family and made significant product performance contributions to patient monitoring. Nellcor's “forehead reflectance” technology offers unique advantages over the current selection of finger, toe, and ear sensors. Specifically designed for patients exhibiting poor perfusion, the sensor offers physicians and other healthcare workers a means to determine oxygen saturation quickly, reliably, and noninvasively in critically ill patients.
Planar receives FDA's first approval for
flat-panel display use in mammography
Planar Systems, Inc. has received FDA 510(k) approval to market the flat-panel Dome C5i system for displaying and viewing mammograms. Until now, the only FDA approved equipment for all soft copy mammography reviews employed cathode-ray tube (CRT) displays, limiting choice and excluding radiologists from flat-panel technology's image quality, ergonomic and quality-assurance benefits. FDA approval follows clinical evaluations conducted at Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic in Rochester, NY. The study was performed in conjunction with evaluations of Fischer Imaging's SenoScan Full-Field Digital Mammography System. Evaluations demonstrated that Planar's Dome C5i is equivalent to and, in many respects, better than 5MP CRT displays of full-field digital mammograms over a wide range of mammography cases. In addition to the diagnostic benefits of flat-panel displays over CRTs, flat panels offer additional quality assurance. CRT monitors degrade over time and require constant inspection and adjustments to maintain optimal performance. Planar's Dome Cx line of flat-panel monitors automatically calibrates with Dome CXtra(tm) software to stay in conformance with Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standards. The software warns users of any deviation from DICOM parameters and produces detailed log information for auditing purposes. Additionally, all of Dome CXtra's quality-assurance functionality can be viewed and managed remotely by IT and quality-assurance departments, reducing the total cost of ownership of the displays.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
In this Issue:
Reputations of pharmaceutical and health insurance
companies continue downward trend
CDC seeks comments on HIV content guidelines
AdvaMed forms health information technology
and wound management sectors
South Carolina places $750,000 order for additional
TVI decontamination equipment
Cardinal Health introduces
automated medication safety
and supply management product for oncology
South Bend Medical Foundation signs agreement with
MedAssets
Reputations of pharmaceutical and health insurance
companies continue downward trend
According to an annual Harris InteractiveŽ survey published by PRNewswire that measures how 15 different industries are rated in terms of “serving their customers”, the ratings of both the pharmaceutical and the health insurance industry have declined further this year; a trend that has continued since the survey began in 1997. In this year's survey, 44% of all adults think the pharmaceutical companies are doing a good job for their consumers (and 48% think they are doing a bad job). In 1997, 79% thought the industry was doing a good job. This fell to 73% in 1998, 66% in 1999 and 59% in 2000. It remained virtually unchanged in 2001 and 2002 before dropping again to 49% in 2003 and 44% in 2004. In 1997, a 55% majority believed that health insurance companies were doing a good job for their consumers. This year, only 36% rate health insurance companies with good marks. Some members of the public see a difference between managed care and health insurance companies; only 30% of the public give managed care companies good marks, unchanged from last year, but 21 points lower than in 1997. For the last two years, managed care has been tied for last place with tobacco companies. Hospitals continue to receive high marks; this year 70% of all adults rated them as doing a good job at serving their customers, although down slightly from 73% in the two previous years. Harris Interactive noted that while the increase in hospital costs in the last two years has produced virtually no backlash, they believe the principal reason for growth in hostility toward the pharmaceutical companies is the increase in the cost of drugs. They contribute this to the fact that many people have experienced increases in their out-of-pocket costs for drugs, but not for hospitals; and to the great amount of media coverage surrounding drug prices. Harris Interactive surveyed 979 adults nationwide by telephone between April 8 and 15, 2004. Downloadable PDFs are available at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters_healthcare.asp
CDC seeks comments on HIV content guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published two notices in the Federal Register requesting public comments on proposed revisions of the Interim HIV Content Guidelines, revised in 1992. The first notice requests comment on the Guidelines, entitled “Content of AIDS-related written materials, pictorials, audiovisuals, questionnaires, survey instruments, marketing, advertising and website materials, and educational sessions in CDC regional, state, territorial, local, and community assistance programs.” The second notice requests comments on new Interim Guidelines, entitled “Content of AIDS-related written materials, pictorials, audiovisuals, questionnaires, survey instruments, marketing, advertising and website materials, and educational sessions in CDC school-based assistance programs.” The public comment period ends August 16, 2004. Visit, www.cdc.gov.
AdvaMed forms health information technology
and wound management sectors
AdvaMed’s Board of Directors voted to form two new product sectors in the areas of digital health information technology (DIGHITS) and advanced wound management to address patient access barriers and other policy issues. DIGHITS sector technologies and information systems are reducing medical errors, improving patient outcomes, and lowering healthcare costs by assisting clinicians with monitoring, decision support, and outcomes studies. AdvaMed’s wound management sector represents a broad array of medical technologies that can effectively treat chronic wounds, including: advanced specialty dressing, bioengineered skin substitutes, wound closure devices, hyperbaric oxygen equipment and pressure relief beds.
South Carolina places $750,000 order for additional
TVI decontamination equipment
TVI Corporation, a supplier of rapid deployment shelters and chemical/biological decontamination systems for the military, public health and first response agencies, announced that South Carolina has placed a $750,000 order for additional TVI decontamination systems and accessories. The purchase follows a $280,000 initial order received and filled in 2002 for TVI decontamination systems and accessories. The order was procured through a Federal grant administered by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). The shelters' ultimate destination will be the local Hospital and County Emergency Medical Service. The systems will be delivered to four regional locations where end users will participate in intense hands-on training provided by TVI representatives. South Carolina first selected TVI's 3-line decon shelter as their shelter of choice in 2002. Those shelters were part of an order to outfit the then newly-established state sponsored COBRA Teams: 15 specialized response teams tasked with responding to incidents involving the use of WMD (weapons of mass destruction) and accidents/incidents involving chemical, biological and radiological materials.
Cardinal
Health introduces automated medication safety
and supply management product for oncology
Cardinal Health, Inc. has launched the Pyxis OncologyStation(tm), a specialized product that meets the unique medication safety and supply management needs of outpatient oncology clinics. Pyxis OncologyStation was developed by Cardinal Health to automate non-clinical, time-consuming tasks and ensure a reliable inventory of medications and supplies for the specialty care market. The system helps address the growing pressure on oncology clinics to lower costs while increasing safety and services levels. Pyxis OncologyStation captures patient charges by sending medication use information for each patient directly into the practice's billing system. With the just-in-time inventory management process supported by Pyxis OncologyStation, the waste of expired medication and excess inventory can be virtually eliminated. Three-year data storage capabilities also offer clinics the ability to perform trend reporting to better manage a practice.
South Bend Medical Foundation signs agreement with MedAssets
South Bend Medical Foundation (SBMF) has signed a five year agreement with MedAssets for its group purchasing/supply chain management services and will transition its purchasing functions to MedAssets within the next 90 - 120 days. South Bend Medical Foundation is a freestanding laboratory organization responsible for management and human resources in the laboratories of four major medical centers in North Central Indiana.
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
In this Issue:
Supreme court limits suits against HMOs
New Jersey passes CS mandatory state certification law
First on-line graduate certificate course on sharps injury prevention
Florida puts a halt on Canadian drug orders
Woman in
U.S.
dies of suspected mad cow disease
Consorta, Inc. announces
radiation oncology products agreements
Supreme court limits suits against HMOs
The Supreme Court overturned, by a vote of 9 to 0, a Texas patients' rights law, in a ruling that bars all states from allowing patients to sue managed-care companies whose refusal to pay for treatment allegedly results in death or injury. The court ruled that a 1974 federal statute prohibits such state laws, meaning that the citizens of Texas and nine other states (Arizona, California, Georgia, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Washington and West Virginia) will lose the right to sue health plans in state courts. According to the court, such rights can only be granted by Congress.
New Jersey passes CS mandatory state certification law
Late last week, New Jersey became the first state to pass a law mandating state certification for central service (CS) personnel. Don Gordon, President elect of IAHCSMM, commented, “Congratulations Tony Monaco and our fellow new jersey central service professionals on the new law for central service mandatory state certification! IAHCSMM thanks you for leading the way for our profession. June 17, 2004 will go down in history as a historic day for the CS Profession.” Added Richard Schule, BS, CST, CRCST, CHMMC, FCS, manager of the surgical processing department for The Cleveland Clinic (OH), “Finally hard work and perseverance is rewarded to a most deserving pioneer! Congratulations to Tony and the State of New Jersey for realizing the importance of our profession. Tony's dedication to patient safety and continuum of care is paramount. New Jersey is setting the stage for quality production and service. In the future, the list is sure to grow. Momentum is building. Now, more than ever, IAHCSMM needs to continue their vision and mission of strengthening educational opportunities for the women and men of our profession throughout the country.” For more info, www.iahcsmm.com
First on-line graduate certificate course on sharps injury prevention
Touro University International (TUI) has a series of four on-line, distance learning courses, leading to a Graduate Certificate in Sharps Injury Prevention that will be offered beginning September 2004. The goal of the program is to provide healthcare and other professionals with advanced knowledge, skills and abilities to assist international efforts to eliminate the risk of needlestick and other sharps injuries and subsequent risk to bloodborne infections (e.g. HIV, HBV, HCV). This certificate program in sharps injury prevention is funded, in part, through an unrestricted educational grant from the Safety Institute, Premier, Inc. For additional information, visit the Safety Institute Web site at http://www.premierinc.com/safety. Click on "Sharps safety resources" or the syringe icon.
Florida puts a halt on Canadian drug orders
Florida has issued cease-and-desist orders to a dozen businesses, demanding that they stop taking orders for Canadian prescription drugs. Officials say more shops will soon be targeted. The businesses take orders to be filled by mail in Canada. Violators can face five years in prison. Last year, the Justice Department sued to close two affiliated companies operating storefronts in 20 states.
Woman in U.S. dies of suspected mad cow disease
Charlene Singh, 25, the only U.S. resident thought to have the human form of mad cow disease, or variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), died Sunday. In April 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health announced ‘the occurrence of a likely case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a Florida resident [then] aged 22 years.” Singh was born in England, where health officials concluded that she contracted the disease. She moved to the United States in 1992. A definitive diagnosis is not possible until an autopsy is performed.
Consorta, Inc. announces radiation oncology products agreements
Consorta, Inc. has announced new purchasing agreements for radiation oncology products with Elekta, Inc., Norcross GA, and Siemens Medical Solutions, Concord, CA.
Monday, June 21, 2004
In this Issue:
SARS virus found in patients’ tears
Nurse’s death prompts TB testing
CDC reports human cases of West Nile in five states
Stanford researcher says students choosing
personal life over surgical career
Frost & Sullivan releases analysis in RFID sector
SARS virus found in patients’ tears
Researchers have discovered the SARS virus in the tears of patients, which could give additional insight into the spread and detection of SARS, according to a study in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. Researchers collected tear samples from 36 suspected SARS patients in Singapore over a 12 day period in April 2003. Among them, eight turned out to have probable SARS; after further analysis, three were confirmed to have the disease. Testing also confirmed the presence of the coronavirus SARS virus in the tears of these three patients.
Nurse’s death prompts TB testing
After a nurse at Chesapeake General Hospital in Virginia died last week of tuberculosis, testing is set to begin for hundreds of people who may have come into contact with her. The nurse had been coughing since October, but continued to work at Chesapeake until April, officials said. Letters urging testing were sent Friday to about 450 to 500 patients and 250 to 300 staff and volunteers who worked in the medical surgical unit where the nurse worked.
CDC reports human cases of West Nile in five states
Seven human cases of West Nile virus were reported from June 9-15, bringing the total number of U.S. human cases this year to 14 in five states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week. No deaths have been reported. The CDC reported that so far, human cases have been limited to the Western portion of the country, with 10 cases reported from Arizona and one each from California, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wyoming. Two cases were reported in Sarasota, FL last week, however it was noted that both may have contracted the disease while traveling. The disease has been reported in birds and other animals in 19 additional states, including much of the Eastern U.S. Last year, there were nearly 10,000 human cases of West Nile in the U.S. and 264 deaths from the illness. For the latest West Nile activity in the U.S., visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/surv&control04Maps.htm.
Stanford researcher says students choosing
personal life over surgical career
According to a study led by Susan Brundage, MD, associate professor of surgery at the Stanford University School of Medicine, doctors in training are forgoing careers as surgeons due to the perception that the profession cuts into family and personal time. The study reports on a series of focus groups that zeroed in on factors influencing the career choices of 29 University of Texas-Houston medical students. Medical student interest in surgery as a career peaked in 1981, with 12.1 percent of senior med students choosing the specialty. Since then, interest has dropped, reaching a low of 5.3 percent in 2002. For more information, visit the Web site of the medical center's Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu.
Frost & Sullivan releases
analysis in RFID sector
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan's Auto ID division regarding the World RFID
Based Applications Market and the Global RFID Standards Markets reveals that the
industry generated revenue totaling $1.7 billion in 2003. Revenues are expected
to grow to $11.7 billion by 2010. According to Frost & Sullivan, the tremendous
growth potential of the global radio frequency identification (RFID)-based
applications market is being restrained by the lack of established industry
standards. Manufacturing prices could rise if organizations have to bring out
products with multiple-standards compatibility. “A more structured standards
framework is necessary to enable better innovations in technology and product
development,” says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Karthik Nagarajan. “With
the exception of electronic product codes (EPC), the industry is still
fragmented in its choice of standards for emerging applications.” To view the
entire press release for the World RFID Based Applications Market, click here:
https://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/press-release.pag?docid=19827196
Friday, June 18, 2004
In this Issue:
Medicare proposes to cover PET scans for Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Kaiser Permanente to dedicate $4 million
to nursing education in 2004
Broadlane launches service to reduce
cardiovascular program costs
Case Medical announces
consulting services
MedAssets signs agreement with The
University
of North Carolina Health Care System
Consorta awards stretcher contract
to Stryker Medical
Medicare proposes to cover PET scans for Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Federal health officials said they have made a preliminary decision to have Medicare pay for brain scans to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease in some patients who show symptoms of the disease. Health officials had previously rejected the idea of paying for the tests to help diagnose Alzheimer's because of a lack of definitive evidence of its usefulness for that disease. The decision, announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was the result of “an exhaustive review of the evidence”. Under the coverage plan, Medicare would pay for its use to aid in the diagnosis of suspected Alzheimer's disease when diagnosis “remains uncertain despite a thorough clinical evaluation.”
Kaiser Permanente to dedicate $4 million
to nursing education in 2004
Kaiser Permanente has awarded 85 nursing students from more than 40 Southern California college campuses a total of $150,500 in scholarship funds to help meet expenses and complete their education. The announcement was made at the Kaiser Permanente Southern California headquarters in Pasadena. Kaiser Permanente's commitment to building California's future nursing workforce is expected to exceed $4 million by year's end. This sponsorship includes Kaiser Permanente's Nursing Pathways and Direct Community Benefit Investment (DCBI) in career ladder programs, grants to colleges, forgivable loans, and the Deloras Jones RN Scholarship Program, which was established in 1989. This year, Kaiser Permanente received 459 applications and granted $310,000 in nursing scholarships to 168 recipients throughout California. For information on Kaiser Permanente's scholarships and forgivable loans, http://financialaid.kp.org
Health Management Corporation (HMC), a national health and disease management (DM) company, announced that industry thought leader Michael Cousins, Ph.D. will present “Maximizing the Impact of Predictive Modeling”, a June 23 workshop at the World Research Group's Predictive Modeling Implementation conference in Chicago. Dr. Cousins' presentation will explore the technology's capability to help health plans and employers control escalating expenses by identifying those who will be most positively impacted by targeted DM program interventions. HMC has employed predictive modeling for several years as a key component of its NCQA-accredited Healthy Returns(SM) DM program, which helps clients control health care expenses by assisting members identified with costly chronic conditions.
Broadlane launches service to reduce cardiovascular program costs
Broadlane has announced the launch of a comprehensive cardiovascular cost management program designed to help hospitals reduce the costs associated with cardiac care. Broadlane's program can reduce the costs of a hospital's cardiovascular services by 10 percent to 20 percent through detailed tracking and analysis of spending and utilization patterns, better procurement and management of supplies, collaboration with clinicians to standardize products and eliminate excess utilization, and improved efficiencies in procedures and processes. Broadlane's program is offered to all hospitals and systems regardless of their group purchasing affiliation or cardiovascular supplier.
Case Medical announces consulting services
Case Medical Inc. (Ridgefield, NJ) has announced the establishment of Case Consulting Services. This new addition to Case product line and professional services will focus on surgical support services and CPD operations. The Case Consulting team consisting of clinical, technical, educational and management experts will provide contracted consultation services in the areas of: human resource management; staff development /education and training; instrumentation management; customization; case cart systems; project management; policies and procedure assessments; systems technology; facilities and equipment assessments; process improvement initiatives; and regulatory affairs.
MedAssets
signs agreement with The University
of North Carolina Health Care System
MedAssets and Shared Services Healthcare (SSH), a MedAssets Affiliate, announced that they have signed an agreement with The University of North Carolina Health Care System (UNC HCS) to provide supply chain management and purchasing solutions. The five-year agreement is effective June 1, 2004. Shared Services Healthcare will be providing dedicated personnel to serve UNC HCS on a daily basis.
Consorta awards stretcher contract to Stryker Medical
Consorta, Inc. has awarded a three-year, sole source contract for stretchers to Stryker Medical (Kalamazoo, MI). The agreement covers Stryker’s emergency room, operating room, recovery, pediatric and transport stretchers.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
In this Issue:
HIGPA asks CMS for clarification with Medicare’s
‘Average Sales Price’ interim final rule
Claims filed against nonprofit hospitals for overcharging uninsured
Sempermed offers a latex-free, powder-free solution
HIGPA
asks CMS for clarification with Medicare’s
‘Average Sales Price’ interim final rule
The Health Industry Group Purchasing Association (HIGPA) submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on June 7th regarding Question and Answer 16 accompanying the interim final rule titled, Medicare Program; Manufacturer Submission of Manufacturer’s Average Sales Price (ASP) Data for Medicare Part B Drugs and Biologicals, File Code CMS-1380-IFC. HIGPA pointed out that Q and A 16 should not include group purchasing organization (GPO) administrative fees in pharmaceutical manufacturers’ calculation of the “average sales price.” HIGPA asserted that administrative fees do not affect the price to the purchaser. The GPO industry’s message is that “manufacturer administrative fees to GPOs for outpatient drugs are for the functions or services that GPOs perform. They are not price reductions that adjust the prices actually realized by the manufacturers,” HIGPA’s June 7th letter to CMS stated. In passing the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), “Congress expressly listed the deductions [volume discounts, prompt pay discounts, cash discounts, free goods that are contingent on any purchase requirement, and chargebacks and rebates] that should be taken by manufacturers in calculating ASP. Congress also provided that the list of price concessions that should be included in the ASP calculation could be expanded after 2004 based upon the recommendation of the Office of Inspector General of HHS (“OIG”) that such concessions would be a reduction of the cost to the purchaser. Based upon the express direction of Congress, CMS cannot expand the items or transactions included as price concessions in 2004. Thereafter, CMS cannot expand the list without a recommendation from the OIG that the price concession results in a reduction of the cost to the purchasers. Accordingly, Question and Answer 16 should be interpreted to be redundant and therefore consistent with the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act ("MMA") statute,” HIGPA’s President and CEO Robert Betz, Ph.D., stated in the comment letter. HIGPA recommended that CMS issue an additional Question and Answer to the Questions and Answers that were issued by CMS in conjunction with the Regulation as follows:
Q. Are administrative fees paid to group purchasing organizations (GPOs) included in the ASP calculation?
A. No. Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) are not buyers, and administrative fees paid to these entities are not price reductions and are not included in the ASP calculation.
A copy of CMS’ interim final rule can be found at http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=41631951794+47+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve. A copy of the question and answers are at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/providers/drugs/aspqa_web_042204.pdf. Questions regarding HIGPA’s comments can be directed to the Association’s Director of Communications, Carolyn Hickey at (703) 243-9262 or chickey@higpa.org.
Claims filed against nonprofit hospitals for overcharging uninsured
A group of plaintiffs' lawyers filed civil lawsuits against more than a dozen nonprofit hospitals across the country Wednesday, contending that the hospitals violated their obligation as charities by overcharging people without insurance and then hounding them for the money, reports The New York Times. The complaints name some of the largest hospitals in the Chicago, Atlanta and Minneapolis metropolitan areas. One of the lawyers in the case said that more lawsuits are expected to be filed, reported The Times. The lawyers are calling for the creation of a trust that would be financed by the hospitals and would provide affordable medical care for those without insurance. The lawyers argue that because the hospitals have tax-exempt status and other benefits as nonprofit organizations, they have an obligation to provide affordable care to the uninsured.
Representatives from leading national medical organizations, physicians and hospitals in the U.S. formed a workgroup to develop consensus guidelines for preventive use of antibiotics to help reduce surgical infections. The workgroup examined the best practices for antibiotic administration for five common surgical procedures: cardiothoracic surgery, vascular surgery, colon surgery, hip or knee replacement, and vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy. The most important recommendation by the panel was that antibiotics should be given one hour before surgery (on average, only 55 percent of surgical patients receive antibiotics within an hour of surgery) and should not be used for more than 24 hours after the end of the operation. Nationally, antibiotics are currently continued for an average of 40 hours following a surgical procedure. The panel validated that timely administration of antibiotics results in effective infection prevention and that a shorter duration of antibiotics is less likely to produce antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The paper, “Antimicrobial Prophylaxis for Surgery: An Advisory Statement from the National Surgical Infection Prevention Project,” was the result of a yearlong effort by leading national medical organizations to identify best practices for preventing surgical site infections. The statement has been accepted by more than 20 medical societies and national health care organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. For more information visit, http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/home.html
Sempermed offers a latex-free, powder-free solution
SempermedŽ is now offering SempermedŽ Syntegra CR Powder-Free Surgical Gloves. For the latex sensitive, Syntegra CR offers a similar fit and feel to latex. These gloves are manufactured with polychloroprene, also known as neoprene. Syntegra CR provides excellent tactile sensitivity, while the textured surface and beaded cuff enhance gripping and protection.
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
In this Issue:
North Shore University Hospital
warns 177 patients
of possible exposure to HIV/Hepatitis
Health organizations set guidelines for deadly disease prevention
Implantable device deemed safe for depression by FDA advisors
PeopleSoft Healthcare customers meet to discuss top IT priorities
Tenet repurchases $450 million of existing debt
North
Shore University Hospital in Manhasset informed 177 patients last week that they
may have been exposed to H.I.V. or the hepatitis virus because instruments used
for routine endoscopies might not have been properly disinfected. Eighty-six of
the patients have returned to the hospital, on Long Island, for precautionary
blood tests, and none have tested positive for hepatitis or H.I.V., said a
hospital spokesman. The New York State Department of Health is investigating.
Hospital officials discovered that two employees had failed to test a
disinfectant bath used to clean the endoscopes. One was suspended without pay
and the other was fired. A hospital spokesman said that the technicians scrubbed
all the instruments by hand, machine-washed them with disinfectant and water and
then air-dried them. However, the employees failed to test the water supply to
the washing machine. Officials discovered a 12-day stretch beginning April 28
where there was no record that the employees had checked the disinfectant
levels. The hospital sent out letters last Wednesday to the 177 people who
underwent endoscopies during that 12-day period.
Health organizations set guidelines for deadly disease prevention
Three of the nation's leading health organizations have joined forces to release the first unified set of recommendations on how to prevent the nation's deadliest diseases: cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Experts claim that if the guidelines are followed carefully, people can lower their risk of getting these diseases by two-thirds. The recommendations, announced by the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the American Diabetes Association, are designed to encourage a healthier lifestyle; changes that lower the risk for one disease, could cut the risk for them all. The guidelines include general prevention and screening recommendations: a healthy diet for achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight; being physically active; being a nonsmoker and staying away from tobacco smoke; and discussing with your doctor about any personal health risks you may have. The specific recommendations for both men and women are: blood pressure measurements every two years starting at age 20; body mass index (BMI) measurements at every regular health-care visit starting at age 20; cholesterol measurements at least every five years starting at age 20; blood glucose levels measurements every three years starting at age 45; and a colorectal screening every one to 10 years, depending on which test your doctor uses, starting at age 50. In addition, women should have: a clinical breast exam starting at age 20 every three years and, after age 40, every year; a mammography every year starting at 40; and a Pap test every year starting at age 20 and every one to three years after age 30, depending on the particular test used and past results. Men should have: a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and a digital rectal exam starting at age 50. The organizations are launching a new public awareness campaign, “Everyday Choices for a Healthier Life,” which includes a toll-free number and Web site for consumers. The three-year public education campaign will begin with a series of public service announcements.
Implantable device deemed safe for depression by FDA advisors
A Cyberonics device for epilepsy is safe enough to treat chronically depressed patients, despite concerns over how much relief it could provide, said a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts. While data showed some impact for those most severely depressed, the panelists said unclear results made it difficult to determine if the pacemaker-like implant or other factors were at work. But the device, called VNS Therapy, was called safe despite “annoying side effects,” such as a hoarse voice and coughing. The device, which is surgically implanted to deliver electrical pulses to the brain, is already cleared for epilepsy. Some panel members suggested the company conduct double-blind, randomized placebo studies to gain clearer data. Other panelists agreed the acute need to help those patients outweighed the data problems. The FDA outside experts recommended several conditions along with the approval, including proper education for surgeons, psychiatrists and other doctors as well as a patient registry to collect more data.