Hospitals report only 1% of patient harm events Although about 60 percent of patient harm events occurred at hospitals in states with reporting systems, only 12 percent of the events met state requirements for reporting, according to new report from the Office of the Inspector General released today that looked at Medicare beneficiaries discharged in October 2008. Fierce Healthcare
Distractions in OR Make Errors More Likely Surgery residents committed eight times as many errors during simulated procedures when realistic distractions and interruptions were introduced than when they completed procedures without interruption, investigators reported. MedPage Today
CMS Updates Hospital Compare Website Healthcare payers, providers and consumers may view an expanded and more current array of quality measures with a major update posted on two Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services websites, Hospital Compare and Nursing Home Compare. HealthLeaders Media
Drugs, FDA and Pharma
FDA approves Onyx blood cancer drug Kyprolis The Food and Drug Administration said Friday it approved a new blood cancer drug from Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. for patients with advanced disease who have not responded to at least two other drugs. Associated Press
Kidney Drugs May Harden Arteries Phosphate binders can lower serum phosphorus levels for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but they may also increase vascular calcification, researchers found. MedPage Today
New assault on independent drugstores Independent drugstores fill hundreds of prescriptions a day for ailments such as diabetes, migraines and ear infections. But store owners say they won't be able to continue doing that unless they find a remedy for the intense pressure they are feeling from a system that squeezes their profits and gives new competitors an unfair advantage. Joplin Globe
Pharmacies increase defenses due to high rate of drug thefts Brandon Archibald knew something was off about the man in the oversized coat, hat and sunglasses approaching the Community Pharmacy in Gorham on April 16. Archibald, a pharmacist, stepped to the register as the man came in and made his way to the back of the store. Bangor Daily News
