This week in patient safety news, we featured a guest post article on pre-op screening and assessment for OSA. We also found some great articles addressing the ICU, the opioid crisis, and the latest in wearable monitor studies.
From PPAHS:
New PPAHS Campaign Targeting Orthopedic Venous Thromboembolism. We’re launching a new campaign to develop practical solutions to help assess and prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing orthopedic procedures, particularly total knee and hip replacement. Join us in the fight; look for surveys and articles posted by PPAHS. We’re also looking for guest contributions for the blog.
New Guideline on Pre-Op Screening and Assessment for OSA. An in-depth look at the studies and meta-analysis behind assessing and accounting for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It’s written by Bradley Traux, MD, and was first published on his personal blog, Patient Safety Solutions.
From Around the Web:
Hospitals struggle to address terrifying and long-lasting ‘ICU delirium’. One of Stat News’ latest articles features a phenomenon known as ICU delirium, estimated to affect between 30-80% of the patient population with “a sudden and intense confusion that can include hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia”. Most interestingly, and only mentioned briefly in the article, heavy sedation and benzodiazepines increase this risk factor.
Wave of Overdoses with Little-Known Drug Raises Alarm Amid Opioid Crisis. Scientific American’s latest article highlights carfentanil, the latest opioid to hit the “streets” in the opioid epidemic. However, unlike fentanyl, it’s 100 times more powerful and requires the administration of multiple doses of Narcan to rescue from overdose.
Wearable fitness tracker monitors patients’ postoperative functional recovery at home. Wireless and wearable is a fast-growing trend in the medical monitoring field. This twist in this this 2016 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons study showed a high correlation between steps tracked using commercially available fitness trackers and recovery rates in patients discharged after abdominal surgery.