Researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery found that obese patients undergoing surgery are less likely to develop respiratory insufficiency and adult respiratory distress syndrome, according to a hospital news release.

Hospital for Special Surgery researchers, led by Bryan T. Kelly, MD, co-director of the Center for Hip Pain and Preservation, identified a group of patients who have increased difficulty for surgical treatment of snapping psoas, according to a hospital news release.

Many risks that cause patients to fall are not adequately addressed with fall prevention initiatives used in healthcare facilities, according to a release from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals has received FDA approval for XARELTO, an oral anticoagulant used to prevent deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery, according to a company news release.

Steven Gitelis, MD, an orthopedic oncology specialist with Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago, has been named the 2011 president-elect of the Rush University Medical Center's staff, according to a practice news release.

Patients living with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease in a medical home saw many process improvements with electronic health records enabling their care coordination, according to an eHealth Initiative report.

The report, conducted by the eHealth Initiative and Health & Technology Vector, tracked 119 patients over six months with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease at two sites: Community Health Center in Middletown, Conn., and a small primary care practice that is a part of the Taconic Independent Practice Association in New York.

The project aimed to look at the differences between the theory and practice of care coordination. Some of the processes and areas where patients saw improvements included more advanced use of EHRs, care planning, provider-patient communication, intra-office coordination and more user-friendly information for patients.

"With use of a care plan enabled by the EHR, we were able to streamline the care process for these patients and more efficiently track their progress," said Victor Villagra, MD, in the release. Dr. Villagra, founder and president of H&T Vector, worked directly with the clinics on the project. "For example, at one site, six separate cardiology referral forms were used before the project began. Following the intervention, a single form was developed and formatted within the EHR."

Read the eHealth Initiative's release on care coordination with EHRs.

Related Articles on EHR Impacts:
Digitizing Healthcare Involves Grasping the Scope, Finding Value of EHR Data
Study: EHR, Pharmacist Involvement Can Reduce Adverse Medication Events
St. John's Regional: EHRs Made Difference in Joplin Tornado Recovery

West End Orthopaedic Clinic, a Richmond, Va.-based orthopedic practice, has changed its name to OrthoVirginia and opened a new location focused on orthopedics and sports medicine, according to a practice news release.

Stephen T. Onesti, MD, a neurosurgeon specializing in spine surgery, has joined Neurological Surgery P.C. in Rockville Centre, N.Y., according to a practice news release.

Beijing, China-based orthopedic device company Bonovo Orthopedics has formed a new division dedicated to joint reconstruction, according to a company news release.

The Spine Foundation, an independent organization with the mission to increase access to spinal care, has received a major institutional gift from Laser Spine Institute, a provider of endoscopic spine surgery with locations throughout the country, according to a news release.