A handful of medical organizations released guidelines today on the safe return of medtech company representatives to healthcare facilities during the coronavirus pandemic. The guidance released today by AdvaMed, the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) builds on the April 17 joint statement by AHA, AORN, the American College […]
American Hospital Assn.
Medtech, healthcare stakeholders offer ideas to improve FDA oversight, regulation and patient access
Major players and medtech industry groups have offered their opinions as the FDA looks to review and improve its information collection requirements and regulatory oversight. Commentary came in from companies Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Abbott (NYSE:ABT) and Cook Medical and industry groups AdvaMed, the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and […]
Hospital survey shows inpatient drug prices rose 40% in 2 years
A community hospital survey sponsored by the American Hospital Assn. and the Federation of American Hospitals shows that inpatient drug prices rose 40% between 2013 and 2015. Almost all of the surveyed hospitals reported that the increases had a moderate to severe effect on their ability to manage costs. “These price increases are extremely troublesome throughout the healthcare system,” according […]
Hospitals “stand ready to work” with lawmakers to make pricing more transparent
The American Hospital Assn. supports transparency in hospital billing, according to a statement the group issued after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services exposed large swaths of billing and reimbursement data for member hospitals.
The CMS data caused something of a stir by exposing definitively how different hospitals, even those within the same state or city, charge vastly different amounts for identical procedures.
Open-source prosthetic finger won’t cost an arm and a leg | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL —
A South African woodworker who had lost several fingers while operating a saw teamed up with an American engineer who had worked previously on prosthetic limb technology in order to develop an open-source, low-cost prosthetic finger.
Medicare: New rates avoid $850M in hospital cuts
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released its inpatient reimbursement rates yesterday, sparing hospitals from an $850 million haircut by leaving out a 0.8% cut to Medicare hospital payments.
The Medicare agency boosted the rate for a type of implantable heart pump called left ventricular assist device by 9.5%, a proposal CMS released in April to raise the LVAD reimbursement rate by 7.9%.
Endoscopy goes to the multi-billion dollar dogs
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Solos Endoscopy Inc. (PINK:SNDY) announced that it has launched its revamped veterinary product line of endoscopic equipment, scopes and instruments.
Veterinary endoscopy involves minimally invasive techniques for performing procedures through natural holes in the body rather than through large incisions.
The American Pet Products Assn. estimates that consumers spent more than $45 billion on pets in 2009, and more than $12 billion was on veterinary care.
