Medical Devices Safety Update

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has released the latest edition of its medical device safety bulletin. Topics covered in this issue include:

• Battery management a growing issue
• Safety alerts issued for two knee implants – related to the ACS fixed-bearing cementless porous coated tibial component and the Scorpio Series 7000 cementless beaded tibial components, both of which are used in total knee replacements
• IUCDs (intrauterine contraceptive device) and uterine perforation
• Recent safety alerts, relating to Anatomic Locked Plating System, Silimed medical devices, InSync III cardiac resynchronisation therapy pacemakers, Optisure dual coil defibrillation leads, and EndoBarrier duodenal-jejunal bypass liner with delivery system

Medical Devices Safety Update. Volume 4, Number 1, January 2016

Women in NSW 2015

Women in NSW 2015 provides findings on a range of social and economic outcomes for women across health and wellbeing, education and learning, work and financial security, leadership and representation; and safety and justice. This is the only report of its kind for women in Australia and this year for the first time, the complete indicator data set is also available in the accompanying NSW Women’s Report Card 2015.

The report can be accessed at https://www.women.nsw.gov.au/womens_data

Engaging the Medical Staff

"There are three main reasons why hospital leaders need strong medical staff leaders as allies. First, medical staff leaders are more influential with their peers than managers are. Second, they serve as the leadership team’s main connection to frontline doctors. Finally, they provide essential advice and input on hospital initiatives to the organisation's management team."

A recent publication from The Advisory Board Company suggests from recent research that hospitals do not have a strong doctor engagement. You can read and learn how focusing on communication, leadership development, and staff enfranchisement can change the relationship you have with your doctors, and cement truly great medical staff engagement across your organisation.

You can download the study here or check with your library if they have the book for loan. The Advisory Board Company. Engaging the Medical Staff. Partnering With Doctors to Achieve Mutual Goals

Virtual Issue: Risk Factors for Adolescent Drinking

Heavy alcohol use in adolescence has been associated with a number of negative outcomes, including increased risks for the development of substance-related problems. This virtual issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, focuses on a broad range of risk factors associated with adolescent alcohol use and misuse.   

The seven papers in the issue cover a broad range of risk factors from individual characteristics, such as impulsivity and genetics, to environmental factors, such as peer and drinking contexts. Numerous studies have indicated that environmental, genetic and developmental factors all influence behavioral outcomes.

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Risk Factors for Adolescent Drinking. Virtual Issue

Primary Care and Population Health

The latest issue of Public Health Research and Practice focuses on the relationship between primary care and population health and how it can be strengthened to improve health outcomes.

The themed articles discuss the potential for prevention through integration between primary health care organisations and public health services and programs; the role of the new Primary Health Networks; a lifestyle modification program in Australia; and a research article examining community-based care after hospital discharge. Articles are free to access.

Public Health Research & Practice, 2016;26(1)

Research Highlights from National Institutes of Health

With NIH support, scientists across the United States and the world conduct wide-ranging research to improve health. Included in the sections below are some of the research accomplishments, many receiving top scientific honors. 
Clinical Advances :NIH accomplishments in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human disease. These include a test to tailor breast cancer tumor treatments, a noninvasive treatment to help paralyzed men gain movement, and a tool that may predict suicide risk.

Promising Medical Advances : NIH findings with potential for enhancing human health include advances in Ebola research, progress in fighting HIV, and the development of custom 3-D printed nerve scaffolds to aid tissue regeneration.

Insights from the Lab : Noteworthy NIH advances in basic research include charting human genetic variation across the globe, the discovery of lymphatic vessels in the central nervous system, and insights into energy-burning fat cells. 

British Journal of Anaesthesia Special Issue: A Selection of Nine Educational Reviews

There are nine educational review articles for the 2015 BJA/PGA published in this free Special Issue of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. The articles cover a number of topics including regional anaesthesia, acute kidney injury and noncardiac surgery in older adults.

2015 BJA/PGA Special Issue: A Selection of Nine Educational Reviews
Volume 115 suppl 2 December 2015

The digital revolution: eight technologies that will change health and care

The King's Fund has looked at some examples of innovative technology enabled care that are already being used in the NHS and internationally to transform care. Other technologies most likely to change health and care over the next few years are also examined. Each could represent an opportunity to achieve better outcomes or more efficient care.

The digital revolution: eight technologies that will change health and care. Cosima Gretton, Matthew Honeyman, Jan 2016

Age and Ageing Collections on Falls and Stroke

The journal Age and Ageing has freely available collections of articles on both falls and stroke.

The field of stroke medicine has seen significant advances in recent years, and there is an ever increasing awareness that there are real opportunities to make a dramatic difference to stroke patients. This online collection showcases some of the very best of such work.

The collections are made up of the best articles published on falls and stroke in the journal.

Stroke Collection
Falls Collection