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Teleflex announces launch of Rusch DispoLED Single-Use Fiber Optic Laryngoscope Handle

Teleflex Incorporated, a leading global provider of medical devices for critical care and surgery, has announced the launch of the Rusch® DispoLED™ Single-Use Fiber Optic Laryngoscope Handle — a cost-neutral way to combat cross-contamination infection risk during intubation.

14 Feb 2014

Clot-busting tPA therapy for ischemic stroke patients can avoid lengthy, restrictive monitoring in ICU

A Johns Hopkins study of patients with ischemic stroke suggests that many of those who receive prompt hospital treatment with "clot-busting" tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy can avoid lengthy, restrictive monitoring in an intensive care unit (ICU).

13 Feb 2014

Sedation before nerve block significantly increases false-positive results, shows study

New research suggests that sedating patients before a nerve block needed to diagnose or treat chronic pain increases costs, risks and unnecessary surgeries, and sedation does nothing to increase patient satisfaction or long-term pain control.

13 Feb 2014

Rural California plans new trauma centers

The centers are designed to avoid expensive and often time-consuming patient transfers. Meanwhile, telemedicine bolsters intensive care services in rural Maryland, and a hospital system in Camden, N.J. overhauls the way it cares for the poorest and sickest patients

12 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 12, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about President Barack Obama's comments yesterday on his administration's decision to decision to give mid-sized businesses more time to comply with the health law's employer mandate.

12 Feb 2014

Concussions account for 5.8% to 8.6% of injuries in soccer games

Soccer is the most-popular and fastest-growing sport in the world and, like many contact sports, players are at risk of suffering concussions from collisions on the field.

11 Feb 2014

Unvaccinated flu patients need more intensive care

A snapshot of patients who required care at Duke University Hospital during this year's flu season shows that those who had not been vaccinated had severe cases and needed the most intensive treatment.

11 Feb 2014

Scientists identify factors that predict flu severity in patients

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a signature immune response that might help doctors identify which newly diagnosed influenza patients are most likely to develop severe symptoms and suffer poor outcomes. The findings also help explain why infants and toddlers are at elevated risk for flu complications. The research appears in the upcoming issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

10 Feb 2014

AACN recognizes 122 units from 101 hospitals nationwide that earned Beacon Award for Excellence

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recognizes 122 units from 101 hospitals nationwide that earned the Beacon Award for Excellence between Jan. 1, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2013.

5 Feb 2014

Boehringer Ingelheim, DCRI partner to uncover insights into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Duke Clinical Research Institute have formed a unique collaborative relationship to uncover insights into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive and fatal lung disease.

31 Jan 2014

Researchers find no benefit in replacing fructose with glucose

Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital have found there is no benefit in replacing fructose, the sugar most commonly blamed for obesity, with glucose in commercially prepared foods.

31 Jan 2014

MEDNAX reports revenue growth of 20.4% to $567M in Q4 2013

MEDNAX, Inc., the national medical group specializing in neonatal, anesthesia, maternal-fetal, pediatric cardiology and other pediatric subspecialty physician services, today reported earnings of $0.78 per share for the three months ended December 31, 2013. MEDNAX's earnings per share data reflect the impact of a two-for-one stock split that was effective December 19, 2013.

30 Jan 2014

UC San Diego Health System named recipient of Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence

UC San Diego Health System is a recipient of Healthgrades' "Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence." Top performing hospitals were selected based on clinical excellence across a broad spectrum of care in specialty areas such as cardiac and neuro surgery and gastrointestinal, pulmonary and critical care.

29 Jan 2014

CCSC identifies 5 routine practices for multidisciplinary teams of critical care professionals

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) — as part of the Critical Care Societies Collaborative (CCSC) — has identified five routine critical care practices that should be questioned because they may not always be necessary and could, in fact, be harmful.

29 Jan 2014

BIDMC aims to improve family engagement and reduce overall risk of harm in ICU

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is embarking on a new phase of its mission to eliminate preventable harm, using information technology and system science together with patient and family engagement to head off harm before it happens.

25 Jan 2014

AACN invites nurses, other healthcare professionals to 2014 National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) invites nurses and other healthcare professionals who care for high acuity and critically ill patients and their families to its 2014 National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) in Denver, May 19-22, with preconferences May 17-18.

23 Jan 2014

ECMO: A last-resort therapy for extremely severe cases of influenza

Physicians at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are employing a technology known as ECMO as a last-resort therapy for extremely severe cases of influenza. ECMO, short for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is a sort of portable heart/lung bypass machine.

23 Jan 2014

UC researchers receive more than $1M grant to study complex traumatic injuries of warfare

Trauma and critical care researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have received more than $1 million from the United States Air Force in a recent set of grant awards to study how air medical evacuation affects patients, medical professionals and medical equipment.

22 Jan 2014

Role of folate in development, progression of breast cancer highly controversial

Folic acid supplements at levels consumed by breast cancer patients and survivors in North America promoted the growth of existing breast cancer in rats, new research found.

21 Jan 2014

Research roundup: Nursing home transitions; the impact of raising Medicare premiums; workers' views of job-based insurance

Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.

20 Jan 2014