About healthcare quality
Apology Law Is Constitutional, Ariz. Appeals Court Finds: “An Arizona appeals court has ruled that a state law that a health care worker's apology can't be used as evidence of malpractice is constitutional in an appeal by a couple who said their obstetrician's conduct led to one of their twins suffering brain damage.” One of the basic tenets of “modern” quality processes is an apology for errors. But lawyers are often reluctant to allow their clients to make such statements. The affirmation of the constitutionality of this law can provide an impetus for other states to enact similar legislation.
About hospitals and health systems
Providence posts $94M loss in first half as higher staff expenses offset increases in volume: This article highlights two important points: Personnel-related costs are the single biggest institutional expense (in fact, the majority) and relying to a great degree on temp staff is not a financially stable policy.
About health insurance
Humana completes acquisition of Kindred at Home: “With the deal finished, Humana is now the country's largest provider of home healthcare services. Kindred at Home provides home health, hospice and personal care to more than 550,000 patients each year, Humana said.” This deal continues the trend of insurers buying provider organizations.
About Covid-19
Biden says US will require nursing homes get staff vaccinated or lose federal funds: “Biden said he is directing the Department of Health and Human Services to draw up new regulations making employee vaccination a condition for nursing homes to participate in Medicare and Medicaid.”
Many healthcare employers have been reluctant to require vaccines because, facing a tight labor market, they are afraid workers will quit. This action may force their hands. The question is what other leverage does the federal government have? Certainly, hospitals and other health facilities can be likewise compelled to vaccinate employees; but what about other institutions that receive federal monies- like public schools and universities that get research funding?
Third dose of Pfizer, BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine 86% effective in over-60s: study: “According to initial results released by a large Israeli health maintenance organisation (HMO), a third dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 was 86% effective in people aged over 60.”
Early Convalescent Plasma for High-Risk Outpatients with Covid-19: “Outcomes regarding worst illness severity and hospital-free days were similar in the two groups [antibody and placebo]…
The administration of Covid-19 convalescent plasma to high-risk outpatients within 1 week after the onset of symptoms of Covid-19 did not prevent disease progression.”
Vaccines still effective against Delta variant of concern, says Oxford-led study of the COVID-19 Infections Survey: “Obtaining two vaccine doses remains the most effective way to ensure protection against the COVID-19 Delta variant of concern dominant in the UK today, according to a study from the University of Oxford…
Two doses of either vaccine still provided at least the same level of protection as having had COVID-19 before through natural infection; people who had been vaccinated after already being infected with COVID-19 had even more protection than vaccinated individuals who had not had COVID-19 before.
However, Delta infections after two vaccine doses had similar peak levels of virus to those in unvaccinated people; with the Alpha variant, peak virus levels in those infected post-vaccination were much lower.”
About healthcare IT
CDC Stands Up New Disease Forecasting Center: “The center, with initial funding from the American Rescue Plan, will focus on three key functions:
Predict: Undertake modeling and forecasting; enhance the ability to determine the foundational data sources needed; support research and innovation in outbreak analytics and science for real-time action; and establish appropriate forecasting horizons.
Connect: Expand broad capability for data sharing and integration; maximize interoperability with data standards and utilize open-source software and application programming interface capabilities, with existing and new data streams from the public health ecosystem and beyond.
Inform: Translate and communicate forecasts; connect with key decision-makers across sectors including government, businesses, and non-profits, along with individuals with strong intergovernmental affairs and communication capacity for action.”
Biden-Harris Administration Invests over $19 Million to Expand Telehealth Nationwide and Improve Health in Rural, Other Underserved Communities: The “Biden-Harris Administration is announcing key investments that will strengthen telehealth services in rural and underserved communities and expand telehealth innovation and quality nationwide. These investments—totaling over $19 million—are being distributed to 36 award recipients through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).”
HCA Healthcare to Sell PatientKeeper to Venture Firm General Catalyst’s Commure and Enter Into a New Strategic Collaboration: “HCA Healthcare…and General Catalyst, a global venture capital firm, today announced the sale of HCA Healthcare’s PatientKeeper to General Catalyst’s portfolio company Commure along with an investment in Commure and the formation of a new strategic collaboration to accelerate digital transformation.
PatientKeeper is a leading provider of intuitive software and mobile applications that help physicians and care teams access and work with patient information….
HCA Healthcare will continue to deploy PatientKeeper technology at its more than 180 hospitals across the country. For more than a decade, physicians at HCA Healthcare-affiliated hospitals have been using PatientKeeper to access a single view of their patients’ information across a variety of hospital systems, to streamline workflow, and to help improve patient care.”
About pharma
NICE changes to provide faster, fairer access to new drugs and devices: England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) announced changes in its evaluation process to authorize new therapies. Since the organization is a model for rational technology evaluation, the announcement is worth reading.
Verily makes its first major acquisition as it looks to transform clinical trials: “On the heels of a series of prominent recent hires, Verily announced plans on Tuesday to make its first major acquisition by buying SignalPath, a North Carolina company which developed a clinical trial management platform. Verily, an Alphabet spinout founded in 2015, plans to use the acquisition to increase its appeal to clinical trial sites and to speed its efforts on decentralized research…”
About the public’s health
U.S. appeals court upholds Texas ban on second-trimester abortion procedure: “The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld on Wednesday a Texas law effectively banning the most common abortion procedure for terminating second-trimester pregnancies, reversing a ruling last year by a three-judge panel of the same court.
Wednesday's decision marks the first time a U.S. federal court has upheld a prohibition on the standard abortion method used after 15 weeks of pregnancy - dilation and evacuation, or D&E - though some other states have acted to outlaw it…
Physicians found to have violated the measure would face a prison term of up to two years.
Nine judges on the New Orleans-based appeals court joined in ruling in favor of the Texas statute, with five judges dissenting and three recused from the case.
The newly re-instated law forbids D&E abortions unless the physician first performs a separate, additional procedure in the woman's body to bring about the demise of the fetus.”
About health technology
Microengineered perfusable 3D-bioprinted glioblastoma model for in vivo mimicry of tumor microenvironment: This 3-D printed tumor has the supporting structures and blood vessels if in-situ cancers. The authors conclude: “Our 3D-bioprinted model could be the basis for potentially replacing cell cultures and animal models as a powerful platform for rapid, reproducible, and robust target discovery; personalized therapy screening; and drug development.”