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A patient with a disease resembling anthrax led to the identification of anthrax-like virulence factors in an isolate of Bacillus cereus.
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The FDA has approved Telithromycin, the first Ketolide antibiotic. Ketolides are semisynthetic derivatives of the macrolide erythromycin that have activity against a wide spectrum of respiratory bacterial pathogens including multi-drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. Telithromycin, which is a once-a-day oral tablet, is marketed by Aventis as Ketek.
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Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is nosocomial pneumonia occurring in a mechanically ventilated patient > 48 hours after intubation. It is categorized as early-onset (defined by most experts as 48-96 hours after intubation) and late-onset (> 2-96 hours after intubation): these differ with respect to responsible bacterial agents as well as outcomes.
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Nurse practitioners in Glasgow, Scotland, will begin performing minor surgery in dermatology and plastic surgery after completing a credentialing program recently introduced by a large association of hospitals in Scotland and Glasgow Caledonian University.
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The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) will discuss reimbursement for physician-owned ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) at its March 18-19 meeting.
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In testimony late last year before the Department of Health and Human
Services National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics
Subcommittee on Privacy and Confidentiality, Health Privacy Project
executive director Janlori Goldman submitted 13 common myths that
persist about the HIPAA privacy regulation and the facts that respond
to those myths.
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American Hospital Association attorney Lawrence Hughes said there are
aspects of the privacy rule that still are not working well and are
creating unnecessary burdens for hospitals, with little benefit to
patients.
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Rhode Islands Seacrest DocSecurity surveyed more than 500 physicians
nationwide late in 2003, questioning them on requirements that
insurance companies ask for before underwriting physicians and
hospitals for insurance, and concluded that while physicians generally
believe they are HIPAA-compliant, in fact they have only met a portion
of the HIPAA requirements, leaving them vulnerable to lawsuits.
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Does the security rule specify how a risk analysis must be conducted?;
How should passwords be chosen to ensure security?; Can a home health
agency post thank-you letters from patients on a bulletin board that
can be seen by staff and other patients?
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Recruiting 21 patients with hypertension from the cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction Unit of the University of Saskatchewan and 23 controls, Shin and colleagues tested the hypothesis that hot-water immersion would cause greater blood pressure changes in hypertensive patients than in normotensive controls.
