Here are five articles on medical research study findings from the week of Sept. 28.
1. Researchers examined how single-patient neonatal intensive care unit rooms and open-unit rooms affected colonization rates for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, late-onset sepsis and mortality in a recent study. Read more.
2. Patients who are over 80 years old have lower patient experience scores than other patient segments, suggesting that providers are not meeting the special needs of this group, according to a new Press Ganey report. Read more.
3. Preterm infants born before 30 weeks of gestation rely on IV-based formulas for nourishment. A meta-analysis of four studies found protecting these formulas from exposure to light can cut mortality rates for these small infants in half. Read more.
4. The ability to test a blood sample for all viruses in a single go, rather than one-by-one, may soon be a reality, enabling clinicians to tackle threats lurking inside patients they had no idea were present, according to a new study. Read more.
5. While 90 percent of hospitals across the country with at least 300 beds have palliative care programs, only 56 percent of smaller hospitals offer these services, according to a new study published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine. Read more.