Medical Care

Many US hospitals fall short in preventing infections
About one in 10 hospitals did not have checklists to prevent bloodstream infections, and one in four did not have checklists to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia. About one-third of hospitals had no policy to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections. MedicalXpress

Developing countries face 'leading medical scourge of developed countries'
Chronic illness, already a major and expensive problem in developed countries, is rapidly increasing in developing countries, adding to the longstanding burden caused by high rates of infectious diseases. However, poor countries will not be able to afford the costly medical technologies that wealthy countries use to treat chronic conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, pulmonary disease, and diabetes, writes Daniel Callahan, cofounder of The Hastings Center. Eurekalert!

Surgeons can up outcomes for work-related lumbar surgery
In patients with chronic disabling occupational lumbar disorder (CDOLD) and workers' compensation claims, lumbar fusion outcomes can be improved if opioid dependence and excessive length of disability after surgery are controlled through care, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of The Spine Journal. MedicalXpress

Unfilled hospital openings for doctors growing, survey finds
According to the survey results, the physician vacancy rate at the surveyed hospitals increased from 10.7 percent in 2009 to 17.6 percent in 2013. More than three-quarters of respondents (78 percent) believed that there was a moderate to severe shortage of physicians nationwide. The Affordable Care Act, 65 percent of respondents said, will create an increased need to hire more physicians at their hospitals, as more patients enter the health care system. Despite these shortages, only 28 percent of respondents from teaching hospitals said they plan on adding additional residency positions, largely because of cost. Shortages also exist for advanced practitioners and for nurses. MedicalXpress

Can HIPAA Information Be Given to Law Enforcement Officials?
Medical records contain some of the most sensitive information that can be searched for any person. There are significant criminal and civil sanctions for improperly disclosing such information, at both the state and federal levels. Law enforcement searches and use of medical records may be "reasonable" in defined situations. Both regulators and courts provide guidance to determine what is reasonable and what is unreasonable. Medscape