Scientists have discovered a new class of antibiotic using a revolutionary procedure hailed as a game changer in the hunt for medicines to fight drug-resistant infections. The antibiotic, called teixobactin, kills a wide range of drug-resistant bacteria, including MRSA and bugs that cause TB and a host of other life-threatening infections. It could become a powerful weapon in the battle against antimicrobial resistance, because it kills microbes by blocking their capacity to build their cell walls, making it extremely difficult for bacteria to evolve resistance.
The flu is not the only disease on the rise. Geisinger Health System is seeing an increase in pediatric respiratory syncytial virus cases, said spokesman Matt Van Stone. As a result, Geisinger has issued restrictions temporarily prohibiting children under age 5 from visiting children's and women's inpatient units. "The number of RSV infections in children rise during the fall and winter months," said Michael Ryan, D.O., chairman of Geisinger's Janet Weis Children's Hospital. "It is typical for hospitals to initiate sibling visitor restrictions to children's and women's inpatient areas for the protection of our patients. This is an annual practice and is usually lifted at the end of the winter season."
Crittenton, an independent hospital that has operated in Rochester Hills since 1967, is set to be scooped up by the world's largest Catholic hospital system. "We conducted a very thorough vetting process and determined that as part of Ascension Michigan, Crittenton has the opportunity to continue as a thriving community asset well into the future," said Crittenton Board Chair Robert Lenihan in a press release. Ascension Health Michigan is a part of St. Louis-based Ascension, the largest non-profit health system in the United States and the largest Catholic hospital system globally. The parties signed a letter of intent, and are slated to join after a six-month due diligence process.
At CES15, the big consumer electronics show in Las Vegas this week, a panel session hosted by Family Medicine for America's Health shared recent survey data collected from 94 physician members of the American Academy of Family Physicians. The group made clear that the survey findings were "not scientific" and only intended to get "a snapshot of members' experience and perceptions". Regardless, it's encouraging that more medical associations are starting to have these kinds of discussions with their members. Four in ten of the family physicians surveyed said they used consumer health apps at the point of care with their patients.
Metro Detroit will be down to its last independent hospital after a Rochester hospital said Tuesday it is being sold and a Monroe hospital became part of another health care chain. Crittenton Hospital Medical Center, a 290-bed acute health care facility in Rochester, signed a letter of intent to join Ascension Health Michigan, a Catholic system that is part of the country's largest nonprofit health care provider. No financial information was released. Monroe-based Mercy Memorial Hospital System also said Tuesday it finalized a deal to become part of ProMedica, a health care company serving northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The new name for the hospital will be ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital.
The House passed legislation Tuesday to exempt veterans who have health insurance through the Defense or Veterans Affairs departments from ObamaCare's employer mandate. Members voted overwhelmingly in favor of the measure, the first House bill on the floor in the new Congress, by 412-0. The bill marks the first ObamaCare-related vote of the new Congress, after more than 50 in the last four years. Another measure to make changes to the law is slated for floor consideration this week. It would establish 40 hours as a full-time workweek under the healthcare law instead of 30. The vote for that bill is more likely to fall along party lines, however.