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Revised compendium guidelines to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) include some new socio-adaptive and technical strategies for infection preventionists to consider.
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With infections related to contaminated endoscopes a recurrent problem in health care, the Joint Commission and several other groups and associations are reiterating the importance of reprocessing procedures.
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For the past 10 years, the United States has been wrestling with a resurgence of pertussis as outbreaks strike in different states. In 2013, cases subsided in most of Minnesota, but spiked in Texas and North Carolina, for example. California reported 2,372 cases, 132 hospitalizations and one death of a two-month-old.
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Joint Commission Resources (JCR) has released a new, free guide to help hospital executives and physician leaders implement and sustain safe practices. Produced by the JCR Hospital Engagement Network (HEN), the guide is part of the federal Partnership for Patients initiative to improve the quality, safety and affordability of healthcare.
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In an ambitious attempt to see if patient safety successes can go beyond individual units and even entire facilities, the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare is partnering with 20 hospitals in South Carolina.
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A growing number of health care workers are coming into their profession with childhood vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV).
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The recent publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) and the continuing introduction of new psychoactive drugs create challenges for updated diagnostic and therapeutic choices for primary care patients.
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In a trial comparing chemotherapy alone to chemotherapy plus bevacizumab in the treatment of patients with platinium-resistant ovarian cancer, the combination resulted in improved response rates and progression-free survival (PFS) and without a high rate of added toxicity. Whether bevacizumab alone would provide comparable improvements was not assessed but remains an important question for future trials.
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In an international, randomized, non-inferiority trial, bendamustine-rituximab proved comparable in overall response rate when compared with R-CHOP or R-CVP in the management of indolent NHL and mantle cell lymphoma. Progression free and overall survival comparisons remain to be determined. Notably, toxicity profiles were significantly different, with higher rates of reported nausea and vomiting with BR and neuropathy and alopecia with R-CHOP/R-CVP.
