Latest news with #criticalcare
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hywel Dda health board's fragile services need urgent change
Hospital services across a Welsh health board could reorganised because they are so Dda health board has included critical care, stroke services, eye care and urology among those in need of urgent the options would be to halve the number of acute stroke units and centralise planned urology cases and eye care.A number of options will be given to the public, though the health board said it would welcome alternative suggestions as there was no preferred is understood each option put forward would come with a cost implication, but would be less than the current rising costs. Hywel Dda said changes were needed "because of the risks to them being able to continue to offer safe, quality services or timely care".The four main hospitals in the area, which covers Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, are Prince Philip in Llanelli, Glangwili in Carmarthen, Withybush in Haverfordwest and Bronglais in health board said clinical teams were spread across multiple sites, over a wide geographic area, and there is an "over-reliance on a small number of individuals".The nine areas deemed most fragile are: Critical careDermatologyEmergency general surgeryEndoscopyOphthalmologyOrthopaedicsRadiologyStrokeUrology The health board is not alone in facing challenges of reducing waiting times for a time when parts of Wales still have patients waiting longer than two years for care, it has removed those waits entirely, but still has more than 12,000 waiting longer than one issues have improved predominantly due to the recruitment of international nurses, taking band five vacancies down from 280 whole-time equivalent to just health board said that had substantially reduced its agency spend, but vacancies remained in other areas of its to update services were first drawn up in 2018 and while the pandemic increased demand, Hywel Dda has also had to contend with significant capital costs associated with issues around reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) at Withybush Hospital.A new hospital is planned for the area, but will not be built for at least 10 years after delays as well as the impact of inflation on construction costs. Since the pandemic, there has also been an increased emphasis on regional working among health boards in Wales, meaning pressures can be spread across regions, though that also creates fresh logistical backlog maintenance costs for an ageing estate continuing to rise, meaning doing nothing is not an option.A previous report stated maintenance costs had increased from £60m to £255m since 2018, with £42m categorised as "high risk". Glangwili and Withybush have the "most significant backlogs" at £90m and £72m changes would be closely inspected by patients who are likely to face longer travel times for some services as a consequence, though the plans also include expansion in some areas and a greater role for primary and community services.A public consultation on the options will be held over the summer with final plans expected to be put to the board by November.
CBC
3 days ago
- Health
- CBC
B.C. nurses rally against workplace violence
Janice McCaffrey has been a nurse for 40 years, most of which she spent working in critical care. But about a year ago, she was the one in need of emergency care after she was attacked by a patient while at work. McCaffrey said she was helping the patient on June 6, 2024, who needed to be cleaned up after he had been sick to his stomach. As they walked down the hall, "He didn't say a word to me," she said. McCaffrey wasn't able to actually do anything for the patient before he attacked her. "He punched me over and over and over again." McCaffrey said the assault left her with bleeding in the brain and a serious concussion that led to cognitive issues and trouble with balance and seizures. McCaffrey is one of many nurses who showed up on Wednesday afternoon at a rally to draw attention to workplace violence in health-care settings. According to WorkSafeBC, in 2024, there were 1,102 allowed claims from nurses, nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates where the accident type was an act of violence or force, compared to 988 in 2020. "The potential for violence exists whenever there is direct interaction between workers and non-workers," a WorkSafeBC spokesperson said. "All employers in B.C. are legally obligated to protect the health and safety of their workers — and this includes protecting workers from acts of violence. WorkSafeBC regulations require that employers conduct a risk assessment, have policies and procedures in place to protect workers from the risk of violence, and provide instruction to workers." The B.C. Nurses Union said WorkSafeBC data shows shows time-loss claims related to workplace violence among nurses are increasing: there were an average of 25 claims per month in 2014, and in 2023, there were 46. "Anecdotally, we know violence is on the rise," BCNU President Adriane Gear said. "Now we have the data to back that up." The union is calling for the province to make changes to policies and legislation to better protect health-care workers in the workplace. "It is a requirement of employers to keep their workers safe. We would just like health authorities to do their job." She said they'd also like to see some sort of alert system implemented that flagged patients who have a known history of violence with health-care workers and more security. McCaffrey said patients come into hospitals with weapons and actively use drugs, making the workplace that much more dangerous. "We need to have safety for the nurses, and we also need a working environment that promotes safety. The environment that we have right now does not." CBC News has contacted the Ministry of Health for comment. Wednesday's rally comes a few months after a similar event, organized by the BCNU, was held in Vancouver calling for better working conditions, increased staffing and better safety in healthcare-related workplaces. The February rally was held as negotiations for a new contract with employers were set to begin. As of Wednesday, the union said bargaining hadn't started yet. A spokesperson said they expect negotiations to begin in the fall.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
VUNO Showcases DeepCARS® at AACN NTI 2025, Highlighting AI-Driven Cardiac Arrest Risk Prediction
– Company engages U.S. critical care professionals with data-driven early warning solution MARLBOROUGH, Mass., May 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- VUNO, a global medical AI company, presented its flagship solution VUNO Med®–DeepCARS® at the 2025 National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI), hosted by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), from May 19–21 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. DeepCARS is an AI-powered medical device that predicts an inpatient's risk of in-hospital cardiac arrest within the next 24 hours. By continuously analyzing patients' vital signs—such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature— the solution enables timely clinical intervention in general wards. "Collaborating with AACN members has reaffirmed how DeepCARS can meaningfully contribute to both hospital efficiency and patient safety—empowering clinicians with timely insights that lead to proactive, life-saving care," said Robert Tingley, Vice President of Business Development at VUNO. "We sincerely thank the critical care community for their thoughtful engagement and valuable insight." At AACN NTI 2025, VUNO's booth drew significant attention from clinical professionals, particularly members of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) seeking innovative tools to detect patient deterioration earlier and respond more effectively. The VUNO team—including Robert Tingley, Andrew Abbring (Area Sales Director), and Tae Min Son (Director of Product Management)—engaged with healthcare stakeholders to better understand the needs and workflows of U.S. hospitals. DeepCARS has been adopted across more than 48,000 hospital beds in South Korea, including 20 tertiary general hospitals, making it a critical component of routine care. In 2023, the solution received Breakthrough Device Designation (BDD) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is currently undergoing the FDA 510(k) clearance process. As the company strengthens its presence in the U.S. market, it continues to focus on working closely with healthcare providers to ensure successful integration into existing clinical workflows and environments. About VUNO Founded in Seoul in 2014, VUNO is a global medical AI company and the developer of the nation's first approved AI-powered medical device. Leveraging cutting-edge AI technology, VUNO analyzes a wide range of medical data—from bio signals such as ECG, respiratory rate and blood pressure to medical images including X-rays, CT scans, and fundus images—to predict critical events and support clinicians in decision-making. Committed to patient-centered innovation, VUNO strives to make high-quality healthcare accessible to everyone, worldwide. View original content: SOURCE VUNO Sign in to access your portfolio
Medscape
08-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Hyperlactataemia Tied to Poor Mortality in Patients With AKI
Serum lactate levels of more than 4 mmol/L on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) were associated with an increased rate of 60-day mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT). METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective study over a 4-year period to examine the effect of serum lactate levels during admission to the ICU on mortality in critically ill patients with AKI receiving RRT. to examine the effect of serum lactate levels during admission to the ICU on mortality in critically ill patients with AKI receiving RRT. They included 154 patients (mean age, 62.8 years; 30.5% women) with stage 3 AKI who received RRT and had data on serum lactate levels at ICU admission; most patients (81.2%) received continuous RRT, and 18.8% of patients received intermittent haemodialysis. Hyperlactataemia was defined as a serum lactate level above 4 mmol/L on admission to the ICU; 56 patients (36.4%) had acute hyperlactataemia prior to admission to the ICU. Demographic, comorbidity, and laboratory data were collected from electronic hospital databases and medical records; the severity of illness was evaluated using the Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). TAKEAWAY: During the 60-day observation period post-ICU admission, 118 patients (76.6%) died, with most deaths (70.1%) occurred during treatment in the ICU; the mean length of ICU stay was 15.7 days. Patients who died were older ( P < .001), were more likely to have heart failure ( P = .01), and had a higher severity of illness during admission to the ICU (mean CCI, 3.7; P < .001); however, no significant differences in SOFA and APACHE II scores were observed between survivors and non-survivors. < .001), were more likely to have heart failure ( = .01), and had a higher severity of illness during admission to the ICU (mean CCI, 3.7; < .001); however, no significant differences in SOFA and APACHE II scores were observed between survivors and non-survivors. At 60 days, the survival rate was significantly lower in patients with hyperlactataemia ( P = .032). = .032). Age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.023; P = .048) and serum lactate levels (HR, 1.065; P = .033) were identified as independent predictors of mortality in this study. IN PRACTICE: "The practical recommendation is to measure serum lactate at several points during the ICU stay: on admission, before starting RRT and regularly during and after RRT," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Robert Ekart, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia, and was published online on April 30, 2025, in BMC Nephrology . LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its small sample size and single-centre design. Additionally, the study lacked an analysis of serial measurements of serum lactate levels before and after the start of RRT until discharge, death, or the end of the 60-day observation period. DISCLOSURES: This study did not receive any funding. The authors declared having no competing interests.
