Archive for category: E-News

E-News

Health leaders from around the world gather in Brisbane for the 42nd World Hospital Congress

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The 42nd IHF World Hospital Congress returns to Australia October 10th after more than 20 years with health leaders from more than 40 countries joining together at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre for three days of discussions, hosted by the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA), with support from Queensland Health’s Clinical Excellence Division.
‘A big g’day to health leaders from around the world here in Brisbane eager to learn from each other over the next three days and return home inspired to improve the way we deliver healthcare to meet 21st century needs and expectations’, said AHHA Board Chair Dr Deborah Cole.
The World Hospital Congress, under the umbrella of the International Hospital Federation (IHF), is a unique event that brings health leaders from around the globe together annually to share views and experiences, network and develop excellence in healthcare and hospital leadership. Over the last three years the event has been held in Taipei, Durban and Chicago, and it now heads to Australia for the first time since 1997.
‘Over three days, the World Hospital Congress will delve in and unpack the themes of value-based healthcare, integrated care beyond the four walls of the hospital and the data and technology needed to support this transformation’, said IHF President Dr Francisco Balestrin.
‘If you are interested in value-based healthcare you will hear from the concept co-creator and innovation expert Professor Elizabeth Teisberg who will provide her insights into the evolution that needs to take place in healthcare’, said Dr Cole. ‘She will be joined by health leaders who are implementing value-based healthcare in Brazil, Malaysia, Singapore, Denmark and Australia.
‘If you are interested in integrated care you can learn from Nigel Edwards, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust on the UK experiences in his keynote address. Dr Robert Pearl, Forbes Magazine contributor and former Permanente Medical Group Chief Executive Officer, will discuss the transformation required for integrated healthcare to maximise the health of people and communities.
‘If you are interested in the impact of data and technology on healthcare delivery you can learn what Spain is achieving with health apps, how Zambia is using technological innovations to provide better quality of care in low resource settings and how the Mayo Clinic in the USA has used technology to review and improve opioid prescribing’, said Dr Cole.
‘We are on the cusp of big changes in healthcare services around the world that will bring great benefits to patients, as well as to clinical staff and administrators’, said Dr Balestrin. ‘Let’s learn from each other and make this future happen.’

www.hospitalcongress2018.com
www.ahha.asn.au
www.ihf-fih.org

Increased safety in diagnosing cardiac infarction with more sensitive analytical method

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Five percent more cardiac infarctions detected and 11 percent fewer patients suffering a relapse. That is the result of a study of more than 80,000 patients in which two cardiac damage markers (conventional troponin and the newer, high-sensitive troponin T) were compared with each other.
“This can serve to motivate hospitals that have not yet adopted the high-sensitive troponin T. It is more sensitive, and a heart attack can be identified earlier,” says Maria Odqvist, a doctoral student at the Institute of Medicine at Sahlgrenska Academy and the lead author of the study “It’s also possible to determine if the problem is not a heart attack and where the patient’s chest pain is due to something else.”
The study, which is a collaboration with Karolinska Institutet, encompasses all patients who suffered heart attacks in Sweden during the 2009–2013 period. A total of 87,879 people were studied, of which 40,746 were diagnosed using high-sensitive troponin T and 47,133 were tested using conventional troponin. The groups were similar in terms of gender and age distribution and other types of illness in the patients’ history.
Similar studies have been carried out before but then on selected groups of patients, which were treated primarily in cardiac intensive care departments. This study also included patients treated in other departments to collect a broader range of cases.
Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people seek emergency medical care. To determine if a person has suffered a cardiac infarction, symptoms are assessed partly on the basis of chest pain and partly with an electrocardiogram taken to detect typical changes consistent with a heart attack.
In addition, a blood test is taken to measure levels of the protein troponin or else high-sensitive troponin T, both of which are biomarkers for heart damage. Elevated troponin values indicate that cells in parts of the heart have died from lack of oxygen after a heart attack impeded the flow of blood.
The current study showed that the more sensitive marker, troponin T, detected five percent more heart attacks, although with no impact on survival. On the other hand, the number of heart attack victims suffering a relapse was 11 percent lower in that group.
When high-sensitive troponin T started being introduced in 2009, there was concern about spending of health care resources in general and that interventions and treatments for the group of patients with suspected heart attacks would increase.
"We could see a small increase in the number of coronary angiography and balloon blasts, which are associated with finding more cardiac infractions, but the increase is quite modest”, says Maria Odqvist.

University of Gothenburgwww.gu.se/english/about_the_university/news-calendar/News_detail//increased-safety-in-diagnosing-cardiac-infarction-with-more-sensitive-analytical-method.cid1571664

Cyber security for healthcare – your must attend masterclass

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Ramifications way beyond financial loss and breach of privacy? Equip Global proudly presents Cyber Security for Healthcare – a live online event from 6 – 9 October 2020. This masterclass will emphasize developing effective policies and strategies to counter cyber threats of various kinds, developing an effective security architecture and infrastructure, and improving cyber and cyber physical security risk management
Learning outcome

  • Understand the different types of cyber security breaches that can occur including browser-based attacks, phishing attacks, malware, ransomware attacks, data breaches, DDOs attacks amongst others and how you can combat them
  • Improve Security Architecture Design & Implementation
  • Gain insights on cyber security for connected medical devices
  • Learn how to ensure your security infrastructure is strengthened

Join us for our 4-day case-study-driven and practical cyber security for healthcare masterclass. Learn from the expert trainer how you can develop a fool proof and effective cyber security strategy that protects your organization, operations, your patients’ privacy and public security whilst ensuring your healthcare services and patients’ health are not compromised.
Equip Global
Equip Global provides business executives globally with practical and tailored industry conferences, in-house and corporate training courses that focus on offering solutions that have met the concrete test of application and have proven to improve an organization’s productivity and performance. Equip Global conferences and training courses will equip you with practical knowledge and valuable connections that drive tangible and sustainable bottom-line results in your business.
Event website:https://www.equip-global.com/cyber-security-for-healthcare-masterclass-live-online

Study shows SARS-COV-2 can be carried in aerosol up to 4 metres from infected person

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A new study by Chinese researchers to check aerosol and surface distribution of SARS-COV-2 in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and General Ward (GW) with COVID-19 infected patients found that the virus can be detected in the air up to 4 metres away from patients. In addition, they found the virus was widely distributed on floors and recommend that persons disinfect shoe soles before walking out of wards containing COVID-19 patients.
They also found the virus on computer mice, trash cans, and sickbed handrails.
The early release study was published April 10 in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The aerosol distribution of the virus has been controversial with previous findings based on very small studies which may not reflect real conditions in a hospital at full capacity. This new study, however, tested surface and air samples in a busy hospital in Wuhan from February 19 through March 2 at the height of outbreak in that city.
The study is particularly pertinent for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients and offers a number of conclusions and recommendations.

  1. SARS-CoV-2 was widely distributed in the air and on object surfaces in both the ICU and GW, implying a potentially high infection risk for medical staff and other close contacts.
  2. The SARS-CoV-2 aerosol distribution characteristics in the GW indicate that the transmission distance of SARS-CoV-2 might be 4 metres.
  3. The environmental contamination was greater in the ICU than in the GW; thus, stricter protective measures should be taken by medical staff working in the ICU.

They also found that as the virus settles on the floor it could be tracked around the hospital where healthcare workers from the ICU and GW had walked, such as the floor of the pharmacy.
On this evidence the authors highly recommend that persons disinfect shoe soles before walking out of wards containing COVID-19 patients.
The researchers note that as of March 30 no healthworkers at the hospital had become infected and point out that appropriate precautions can effectively prevent infection.
The authors note that the results of their nucleic acid test do not indicate the amount of viable virus. And that because the minimal infectious dose is unknown, the aerosol transmission distance cannot be strictly determined.
doi: 10.3201/eid2607.200885

Philips and B. Braun launch needle tip tracking for real-time ultrasound guidance for regional anesthesia

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Philips and B. Braun,  a player in regional anesthesia and pain management, recently announced the launch of Onvision, a breakthrough ultrasound guidance solution for real-time needle tip tracking in regional anesthesia. Available on the latest version of the B. Braun and Philips Xperius ultrasound system, Onvision gives anesthesiologists the confidence to accurately position the needle tip inside the body. The introduction is part of a multi-year strategic alliance between Philips and B. Braun to innovate in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia, a rapidly growing alternative to general anesthesia.
Accurate needle placement is critical to the success of regional anesthesia procedures, such as peripheral nerve blocks, both in terms of effective pain relief and the avoidance of unintended nerve and vessel punctures or collateral damage to surrounding tissue. While real-time ultrasound imaging has proved to be a valuable tool for needle guidance, failure to optimally visualize the needle tip remains a challenge for both novice and experienced anesthetists. Currently, 10-20% of all peripheral nerve blocks are ineffective on the first attempt. By simplifying alignment between the needle and ultrasound probe, Onvision reduces the effort needed to interpret the ultrasound image. This allows the anesthesiologist to more confidently guide the tip of the needle to its target.
“Regional anesthesia is a rapidly growing alternative to general anesthesia and has the potential to improve patient outcomes as well as increase workflow efficiency in the hospital,” said Bert van Meurs, Chief Business Leader, Image Guided Therapy at Royal Philips. “By combining B. Braun’s expertise in needle design with Philips’ capabilities in real-time image guidance, we’ve created a solution to one of the biggest challenges in regional anesthesia – accurate positioning of the needle tip in the body. Our alliance with B. Braun is a strong example of our commitment to partner with industry leaders to grow our footprint in the therapy market.”
“Our customers want intuitive solutions that allow them to focus on the patient rather than the technology, so they can achieve the best outcomes. As demand for regional anesthesia grows, improved efficiency can also help reduce the pressure of an increasing workload,” said Dr. Meinrad Lugan, Member of the Board for the Hospital Care Division at B. Braun. “Onvision is a perfect example of what can be achieved through shared expertise to meet the evolving needs of our customers, bringing regional anesthesia to more patients in more hospitals worldwide.”
Together, B. Braun’s Stimuplex Onvision needles and Philips’ Onvision needle tip tracking technology indicate the position of the needle tip in relation to the ultrasound viewing plane to an accuracy of better than 3mm. A sensitive micro-sensor placed on the needle, combined with advanced signal processing and visualization techniques on the Xperius system, indicate the real-time location of the needle tip in relation to the 2D ultrasound viewing plane. The solution provides greater flexibility in needle trajectory and can reduce procedure times. The increased confidence and predictability offered by Xperius and Onvision will empower more anesthesiologists to embrace regional anesthesia as a viable and effective alternative to general anesthesia.
Regional anesthesia or analgesia involves the injection of an anesthetic in the proximity of a nerve, targeting areas of a patient’s body that are subject to surgical intervention. Regional anesthesia can have significant advantages over general anesthesia for both patients and hospitals. Patients undergoing regional anesthesia typically benefit from reduced opioid consumption and fewer side-effects, such as nausea. Moreover, regional anesthesia may lead to faster post-surgical recovery, allowing patients to ambulate or leave the hospital sooner, which benefits both patients and hospitals.
Together, Xperius and Onvision form an integrated point-of-care solution for supporting current and future needs in regional anesthesia. They are co-branded and sold via B. Braun’s global sales network, with Philips providing installation and service. Xperius is part of Philips’ portfolio of point-of-care ultrasound systems, which offers clinicians the ability to diagnose and care for their patients in any work environment. www.philips.com

The importance of ventilation to prevent spread of Covid-19

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Using laser light techniques, University of Amsterdam physicists and medical researchers have found that small cough droplets, potentially containing virus particles, can float in the air in a room for many minutes, especially when the room is poorly ventilated. Good ventilation in public spaces (e.g. public transport, nursing homes) is therefore crucial to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. The results were published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine on 28 May 2020.
The research was carried out by physicists Daniel Bonn, Stefan Kooij and Cees van Rijn from the UvA Institute of Physics, together with medical researchers Aernout Somsen (Cardiology Centers of the Netherlands) and Reinout Bem (Amsterdam University Medical Centers).
The researchers asked healthy test persons to speak and to cough, and used laser light to analyse the droplets that were produced. Both during speech and coughing, large amounts of small droplets (between roughly 1 and 10 micrometres in size) were observed. During coughing, larger droplets (up to 1 millimeter in size) are also produced. Those droplets fall to the ground within one second, however, and therefore have a much smaller probability of transmitting viruses.
The small droplets only move very slowly to the ground due to the large amount of air drag they experience. The researchers found that such droplets can stay in the air for several minutes. After a single cough, it takes about five minutes for the number of small droplets in the air to be halved. These tiny droplets are therefore much more dangerous when it comes to possible transmission of the coronavirus.
Ventilation
When the same measurements were repeated in a well-ventilated room, the results improved dramatically. With only mechanical ventilation turned on, half of the droplets disappeared within 2.5 minutes, but in a room that also had a door and window open, the number of droplets was halved after 30 seconds – ten times faster than in the unventilated room.
The result is important for making better policies to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Despite physical distancing, spaces like public transportation and nursing homes can still be centres for spreading the virus if insufficiently ventilated. When droplets remain in the air for a long time, proximity tracing via smartphone apps is also an insufficient precaution. The researchers therefore recommend healthcare authorities consider recommendations to ensure adequate ventilation wherever possible in public spaces
Small droplet aerosols in poorly ventilated spaces and SARS-CoV-2 transmission – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30245-9 Indoor environments
Meanwhile, in a similar study, scientists from Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), with partners from Australia’s Queensland University and Technology, argue that the lack of adequate ventilation in many indoor environments – from the workplace to the home – increases the risk of airborne transmission of Covid-19.
They note that Covid-19, like many viruses, is less than 100mn in size but expiratory droplets (from people who have coughed or sneezed) contain water, salts and other organic material, along with the virus itself. However, as the water content from the droplets evaporate, the microscopic matter becomes small and light enough to stay suspended in the air and over time the concentration of the virus will build up, increasing the risk of infection – particularly if the air is stagnant like in many indoor environments.
The study highlights improving building ventilation as a possible route to tackling indoor transmission of Covid-19.
Could fighting airborne transmission be the next line of defence against COVID-19 spread? www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590252020300143 Modelling
Additionally, a study carried out in March this year by four Finnish research organisations modelled the transport and spread of coronavirus through the air. They note that preliminary results indicate that aerosol particles carrying the virus can remain in the air longer than was originally thought, so it is important to avoid busy public indoor spaces. This also reduces the risk of droplet infection, which remains the main path of transmission for coronavirus.
The research has been has been submitted for peer-review and published on https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.12612. The paper details how they have modelled the airborne transport of different-sized droplets. These are emitted through coughing, so the study evaluated the quantities of particles that someone could come into contact with upon entering a supermarket or any other indoor public space.
Assistant professor at Aalto University, and project coordinator, Ville Vuorinen, says that both previous related research, and a number of well-known infection spikes, indicate a substantial risk of coronavirus through inhalation of aerosol particles, as well as direct droplet transmission and transmission from surfaces. The 3D flow simulations and analyses carried out in the project also support these ideas.
The 3D simulation shows how droplets of varying size travel in an indoor airflow https://youtu.be/f7I0O0C_eqg credit: Aalto University / Finnish Meteorological Institute / VTT / University of Helsinki / IT Center for Science CSC. Animation: Jyrki Hokkanen, CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd.

Survivors of breast cancer face increased risk of heart disease

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Thanks to advanced medical treatments, women diagnosed with breast cancer today will likely survive the disease. However, some treatment options put these women at greater risk for a number of other health problems. A new study out of Brazil shows that postmenopausal women with breast cancer are at greater risk for developing heart disease.
Cardiovascular disease remains the main cause of death in postmenopausal women, and women treated for breast cancer are at greater risk of developing heart disease than those not diagnosed with breast cancer. These cardiovascular effects may occur more than 5 years after radiation exposure, with the risk persisting for up to 30 years. The goal of the new study was to compare and evaluate risk factors for cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women who are survivors of breast cancer and women without breast cancer. The researchers found that postmenopausal women who are survivors of breast cancer showed a markedly stronger association with metabolic syndrome, diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertriglyceridemia, and abdominal obesity, which are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The risk of cardiovascular mortality similarly increased to match death rates from the cancer itself.
“Heart disease appears more commonly in women treated for breast cancer because of the toxicities of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and use of aromatase inhibitors, which lower oestrogen. Heart-healthy lifestyle modifications will decrease both the risk of recurrent breast cancer and the risk of developing heart disease,” says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director. “Women should schedule a cardiology consultation when breast cancer is diagnosed and continue with ongoing follow-up after cancer treatments are completed.”
The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) https://tinyurl.com/up2vyvu

Finalists of the 2019 IHF Awards unveiled

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The International Hospital Federation (IHF) announces the finalists of the 2019 IHF/Dr Kwang Tae Kim Grand Award and Excellence Awards in Corporate Social Responsibility, Leadership and Management in Healthcare, and Quality & Safety and Patient-centered Care.
Following an extensive review by the panel of judges composed of health leaders from around the world, 27 top entries from the four categories have been selected as finalists from which the Gold, Silver, Bronze and Merit Awards will be chosen.
“I am delighted and excited to see that the quality and standards of entries are very high this year”, says Dr Lawrence Lai, Chairman of the IHF Awards Committee. “With so many excellent entries, selecting the best among the best is indeed most challenging. Hence, there is no need to be disheartened even if you are not selected this time. To the Award winners, our heartiest congratulations for a job well done!”
Since the Awards was first presented in Chicago, USA in 2015, the IHF has been recognizing innovation, excellence, outstanding achievements and best practices of hospitals and healthcare organizations. Winning projects have benefitted from the IHF Awards with global recognition that inspires their teams to strengthen commitment to their causes, earns them generous donations to support their programs, as well as encourage others to aspire for improvement and eventually earn the badge for best practice.
This year’s winners will be revealed on 8 November 2019 during the 43rd World Hospital Congress at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat. Gold Winners will be invited to present in a special session during the World Hospital Congress to share their winning programs and projects while Silver, Bronze Winners and Merit Awardees will be displaying posters at the Congress exhibition.

IHF Awards

New digital pills allow doctors to monitor patients at home

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There’s an app for just about everything these days. Now thanks to a new treatment option offered at the University of Minnesota, there’s now one for cancer.
These new technologies, known as digital medicines are allowing doctors to monitor their patients, even after they leave the hospital. University of Minnesota Health and Fairview Health Services are the first in the world to apply digital medicines to cancer care.
“When we give people chemotherapy in the clinic with an intravenous drug, we’re able to assess the dose and timing and make sure they’re well enough to continue getting the treatment,” said University of Minnesota Physicians oncologist/hematologist Edward Greeno, MD, a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Medicine in an interview with the Washington Post. “But when you send them home with a bottle of pills, you don’t know when they’re taking them or if they’re well enough to take them.”
Dr. Greeno, who also directs the oncology service line for University of Minnesota Health, told the Star Tribune, “the technology could significantly improve cancer care because the timing and dosage of chemo-therapy is critical.”
Dr. Greeno, along with other doctors at the Masonic Cancer Clinic at the University of Minnesota Health Clinics and Surgery Center, have begun prescribing pills embedded with small, ingestible sensors. The sensors, designed by Proteus Digital Health, are only the size of a grain of sand, but can track a wealth of information that is helpful for doctors including heart rate, activity level and sleep cycle.
Once the pill is ingested, it sends the data to a small patch on the patient’s abdomen, which then connects to a mobile app that both the patient and their doctor can access.
This new technology will allow doctors to ensure patients are taking their medications as prescribed. Physicians can automatically tell how many pills a patient has left in their prescription, which helps them better manage refills and potentially save money for the patient. The technology can also give a sense of comfort to some patients, helping them take a more active role in managing their medication.
Digital medicine technology has been used to help patients manage medications for a variety of diseases, including diabetes and hypertension, but never before in cancer.

University of Minnesota https://tinyurl.com/y3tgrga4

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