Health Care Buzz Today

Drug Shortages Imperil Patient Care. US providers had to contend with shortages of 211 medicines last year, according to a report by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Cytarabine, which is used to treat leukemia and lymphoma, was particularly hard to find. Shortages of antibiotics like amikacin and acyclovir directly contributed to patient deaths, the report found.

Drug Shortages Imperil Patient Care. US providers had to contend with shortages of 211 medicines last year, according to a report by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Cytarabine, which is used to treat leukemia and lymphoma, was particularly hard to find. Shortages of antibiotics like amikacin and acyclovir directly contributed to patient deaths, the report found.

Former NFL Player’s Brain Full of CTE Plaques. Former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), researchers said. Duerson committed suicide after leaving a note saying he wanted his brain to be studied.

Diabetes Testing Plummets Among Poor, Minorities, Inner-City Residents. Testing of blood sugar, eyes and feet among poor adults with diabetes dropped from 39% to 23% between 2002 and 2007, according to the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality.

Social Networks May Accelerate Diabetes Research. Scientists found that members of a provider-organized social network for diabetes were quite willing to share confidential health information that supported a public health study involving glycemic control

Final Rule Simplifies Telemedicine Credentialing and Privileging. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a final rule designed to make the process less cumbersome for small hospitals and critical access hospitals, and provide more timely care.