Nonphysician providers may play an important role in the viability of cardiology practices in coming years, according to a report by the Medical Group Management Association. The report outlined the roles of NNPs and how they contribute to healthcare initiatives.

Statin users in the U.S. may think they can have their cake and eat it, too. A study published online April 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine found that fat and caloric intake increased in statin users but not significantly in nonusers over time.

The FDA will accept comments about a proposed program designed to expedite access to high-risk medical devices for patients with unmet needs.

Human factor issues were the most often cited root cause of sentinel events for three straight years, according to a review presented April 15 by the Joint Commission. Human factors also topped the list for operative/postoperative complications, radiation overdose and equipment-related events over a 10-year span. 

Location, location, location. Almost 60 percent of variation in hospital readmissions may be attributed to the county where a hospital resides, according to a study published online April 9 in Health Services Research. The findings challenge Medicare’s use of financial penalties for hospitals with higher than expected readmission rates.

Last month it was renal denervation. This month it is transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Add to that revelations about devices approved for use in children for reasons to take pause.

Fifteen of the 25 high-risk devices approved by the FDA between 2008 and 2011 for use in children were cardiovascular therapeutics, with approval for 22 of the 25 devices based on studies that enrolled patients 18 years and older, according to a study published online April 14 in Pediatrics.

Turn off portable electronic devices and stow them away until instructed otherwise. That means cell phones, beepers and other gizmos that distract the cardiac surgical team during a procedure.