Health Care


APIC Event Seeks to Provide CMS Compliance Assistance

An educational program titled "Infection Prevention for Ambulatory Care: Meeting CMS Conditions for Coverage" will be hosted by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) from Nov. 6-7 in Dallas. The event will provide a foundation in infection prevention designed to help outpatient care providers meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revised conditions for coverage.

Consumer Alert: Do Not Use Stolen Inhalation Solution

The Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers not to use certain respiratory medications purchased after Sept. 8, 2009 and manufactured by Dey L.P., a subsidiary of Mylan Inc., because the medications might have been part of a shipment being transported on a tractor-trailer stolen in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 8, 2009.

Physio-Control Recalls LIFEPAK CR Plus AEDs

The Food and Drug Administration is notifying health care professionals of a Class I recall of certain LIFEPAK CR Plus Automated External Defibrillators (AED) manufactured and distributed from July 9, 2008 through August 19, 2008.

FDA Approves Four 2009 H1N1 Vaccines

Vaccines against three seasonal virus strains are already available and should be used, FDA said. However, they do not protect against the 2009 H1N1 virus. These latest four vaccines are designed to do that.

Popular Sedative Needs Warning on Box, Agency Says

The drug, which is also sometimes used to combat morning sickness and as an anti-allergic medication to treat hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and other allergic reactions, is available only by prescription in the United States but is available over the counter in the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, and many other countries.

Mesothelioma Awareness Day Spreads

With more participation this year than ever before, more than 100 radio stations in some 20 states are planning to help raise awareness of mesothelioma by playing a Warren Zevon song followed by a 20-second segment about the incurable disease on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Nanotech Treatment for Burns Curbs Infection, Inflammation

Treating second-degree burns with a nanoemulsion lotion sharply curbs bacterial growth and reduces inflammation that otherwise can jeopardize recovery, University of Michigan (UM) scientists have shown in initial laboratory studies.

Research Finds Limited Health Literacy Presents Hurdles to Decent Care

People who struggle with poor reading and math skills experience problems understanding instructions from health care providers and adhering to treatment, according to a new research review.



Hospital Infection Prevention Tips for Patients

Hospital rooms can harbor germs that can cause serious infections, especially for elderly patients, those with weakened immune systems, and those who have undergone surgery or who have catheters or tubes inserted in the body.

Metal Finishing Plant Cited, Again, For Worker Exposure to Chromium VI

In addition to issuing willful, repeat, and serious citations to the company, OSHA also issued it a notice of failure-to-abate citation relating to its failure to implement a respiratory program, institute a medical surveillance program for workers overexposed to chromium VI, and develop and implement a hazard communication program for workers exposed to caustics and corrosives.

Study Urges Plastic Surgeon Inclusion in Disaster Relief Planning

According to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center, including plastic surgeons in disaster-relief efforts could improve long-term outcomes for victims of catastrophes, particularly in medical cases that might involve physical scarring and nerve damage.

Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation to Host Health Care Innovation Symposium

The Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation will host "Transform," a collaborative symposium on innovations in health care experience and delivery, Sept. 13–15.

Study Finds Mental Health Treatment Improves Worker Productivity

Effective treatment for employee mental health problems leads to significant improvements in productivity, according to a study in the September Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

Three Las Vegas Hepatitis C Lawsuits Move Forward

A bankruptcy judge decided Wednesday to allow three civil trials to take place amid the bankruptcy of three medical clinics involved in the 2008 outbreak.

Care-Tech Laboratories to Discontinue Unapproved Antimicrobial Products

The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that St. Louis-based Care-Tech Laboratories Inc. and its principal officers, John C. Brereton and Sherry L. Brereton, have signed a consent decree, agreeing to stop the illegal manufacture, marketing, and distribution of over-the-counter (OTC) antimicrobial drugs used to treat and prevent infection.

No Airborne Transmission Found in Chinese HINI Outbreak

Preventing transmission by droplets is the key recommendation from researchers who analyzed the June 2009 outbreak among a tour group visiting southwestern China. Thermal scanning and health questionnaires at the Chinese airports did not detect symptomatic passengers.

CDC: Life Expectancy Reaches All Time High; Death Rates Reach New Low

Life expectancy in the United States has reached nearly 78 years (77.9), and the age-adjusted death rate dropped to 760.3 deaths per 100,000 population, both records, according to the latest mortality statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report, "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2007," was issued by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. The data are based on nearly 90 percent of death certificates in the United States.

OSHA to Target Nursing Homes, Manufacturing Facilities for Inspections

Some other establishments that did not answer an OSHA Data Initiative survey also will be targeted. The agency said its intent is to deter employers from not responding to avoid inspection.

APIC Urges Health Workers to Get Flu Shot; 60 Percent Don’t

“Current rates of health care worker immunizations are appallingly low and must not be tolerated,” said APIC President Christine J. Nutty, RN, MSN, CIC. “It’s time for hospitals to require flu shots--and hold employees accountable for declining the vaccine.”

This image is displayed on a page from the health care system offering H1N1 information for patients and families.

Health System Goes All-Out for Employee Vaccination

Cook Children's Health Care System of Fort Worth, Texas, has boosted its employees' flu vaccination rates from 66 percent to 84 percent in the past two years.

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