In-House Intraoperative Monitoring in Neurosurgery in England - Benefits and Challenges.

Background: Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IOM) is a valuable adjunct for neurosurgical operative techniques, and has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in cranial and spinal surgery. It is not necessarily provided by NHS hospitals so may be outsourced to private companies, which are expensive and at cost to the NHS trusts. We discuss the benefits and challenges of developing an in-house service.

Addressing Pneumococcal Vaccine Uptake Disparities among African-American Adults in the United States.

Objective: Pneumococcal illnesses affect over one million Americans annually, making invasive pneumococcal disease (pneumonia) the most prevalent vaccine-preventable illness. Despite well-documented vaccine safety and efficacy, pneumococcal vaccine (PPSV23) uptake remains low, particularly among minorities. This study sought to define variables predicting PPSV23 uptake in eligible African-American (AA) adults.