Reducing umbilical catheter migration rates by using a novel securement device.

Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of a novel device, LifeBubble, in reducing umbilical cord catheter (UC) migration and associated complications in neonates.

Study Design: A retrospective review was performed at Oregon Health & Science University's NICU (2019-2021) to compare standard adhesive securement with LifeBubble. The primary outcomes were UC migration, discontinuation due to malposition, and CLABSI incidence.

Time From Authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration to Medicare Coverage for Novel Technologies.

Importance: A wide variety of novel medical diagnostics and devices are determined safe and effective by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) each year, but to our knowledge the literature lacks evidence documenting how long it takes to establish new Medicare coverage for these technologies.

Objective: To measure time from FDA authorization to at least nominal Medicare coverage for technologies requiring a new reimbursement pathway.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this cross-sectional study, public databases were used to associate each technology to billing codes, determine the effective date of each code and Medicare coverage decisions, and stratify by the maturity of the Medicare coverage.