Patient Safety in the News January 2015

Rachael Zimlich, for Modern Medicine Network, reported that the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration is predicting a 340,000 nurse surplus by 2025.

Amy Norton, for HealthDay, reported on a study appearing in Cell, Host & Microbe which concluded that a change in stomach bacteria in young children can precede a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes by a year, aiding in diagnosing this condition.

Suzanne Russell, with My Central Jersey.com, reported that Dr. Anthony DelPiano, a physician practicing in Jersey City, plead guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for test referrals to Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC of Parsippany.

Steven Reinberg, for HealthDay, discussed a report from the American Cancer Society which revealed lung cancer has replaced breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women in developed countries.

Michael Fleeman and Dan Whitcomb, for Reuters, reported on the introduction of legislation by California lawmakers seeking to end the right of parents in the state to exempt their children from school vaccinations based on personal beliefs.

Tom Spears, for the Ottawa Citizen, reported on a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which concluded that 1-2.4 hours of light jogging a week is the healthiest form of running, while strenuous joggers were as likely to die as sedentary non-joggers.

Dennis Thompson, for HealthDay reported on a study appearing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute which reported a correlation between coffee/caffeine consumption and a decreased risk of malignant melanoma.

Joseph V. Madia, MD and Beth Bolt, RPh, for Daily Rx News, reported on a study appearing in JAMA that revealed that the most common reason for patients to be readmitted after any surgery was an infection at the surgery site.

Madeline Kennedy, for Reuters, discussed a report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which pointed out that the cost of managing diabetes per person has more than doubled in the past twenty years.

Steven Reinberg, for HealthDay, reported that flu activity in the US has peaked and in many parts of the country flu activity is actually declining.

Sue Hughes, for Medscape Medical News, discussed an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine that suggested that anticholinergic drugs (like Benadryl) may increase the risk for dementia in older adults.

James McIntosh, for Medical News Today, discussed a study published in Pediatrics that concluded that prescribing Morphine to children who have their tonsils removed because of obstructive sleep apnea can cause potentially life-threatening respiratory problems.

Jenna Levy, for Gallup, reported that the percentage of adults in the US who are obese grew from 25.5% in 2008 to 27.1% in 2013.

Michelle Roberts, for the BBC, discussed research from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh that demonstrated that a new blood test for women was more accurate in diagnosing a heart attack than the standard troponin test currently employed.

Kathryn Doyle, for Reuters, reported on a study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons that concluded that playing soccer four times a week or more before the age of 12 can lead to Cam deformities of the hip. 

Paul Milo, of NJO.com, reported that Daniel Metz, working for Integra LifeSciences of Plainsboro, New Jersey, was sentenced to nine months in prison for defrauding hospitals of approximately $800,000.

Steven Reinberg, for HealthDay, discussed a study appearing in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology which concluded eczema is tied to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

Sarah Knapton, for the Telegraph,  a study appearing in BMJ Open that concluded that lifestyle changes focusing on diet and exercise may have a greater ability to save lives than prescribing statins.

Elizabeth DeVita Raeburn, for Medpage Today, reported on a study appearing in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which concluded that the benefits of consumption of fish while pregnant outweigh potential harms related to mercury exposure in developing babies.