The top ICU diagnoses with the biggest opportunities for reducing length of stay include sepsis with major complications or cormorbidities, cardiac procedures and infectious and parasitic diseases associated with operating room procedures, according to a Premier report. The analysis, which included 786 hospitals in 45 states from 2011 to 2016, found patients at top-performing hospitals spent 24% less time in an ICU.

Children with low systolic blood pressure soon after resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest had reduced likelihood of survival to discharge, compared with those without early hypotension, while every 10% more hours in hypotension was tied to 20% lower survival odds, according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics. The findings "support the American Heart Association recommendations that parenteral fluids and/or inotropes or vasoactive drugs be used to maintain [a] systolic blood pressure greater than the fifth percentile for age," researchers said.

House and Senate negotiators have agreed on a far-reaching rewrite of US tax law, congressional Republicans say. The measure, which both chambers could vote on next week, would reduce the corporate rate to 21% from 35%, would cut the top individual rate to 37% from 39.6% and includes language repealing the Affordable Care Act requirement that individuals purchase health insurance or face a penalty.

Democrats are urging lawmakers to reject a House bill to provide funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program in favor of a more bipartisan solution. In addition to funding CHIP, the bill would shorten the grace period for Affordable Care Act enrollees late on payments, cut funding for the ACA's public health fund and raise premiums on Medicare beneficiaries with more money.

A new FDA webpage provides updated susceptibility information so clinicians know which bacterial or fungal infections likely will respond to certain drugs. The site is aimed at helping clinicians choose the best treatments and helping prevent the spread of resistant bacteria.

The American Medical Association and Accenture surveyed about 1,300 US physicians and found that 83% reported experiencing a cybersecurity attack, with phishing and computer viruses cited as the most common causes of cyberattacks. Just over half of respondents said they were very or extremely concerned about their organizations being affected by cyberattacks in the future, and about three-quarters said clinical practice interruption and security of patient records were their top concerns.