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Background: Aortic aneurysms represent a chronic degenerative disease with life-threatening implications. In order for patients to comprehend health related information, it must be written at a level that can be readily understood. Study Design: In January 2023, we searched "aneurisma aorta" and "endoprótesis aorta" terms on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft/Bing. The 31th websites provided by each search engine were analyzed. Four readability measures were used to evaluate websites regarding aortic aneurysm and their endovascular treatment in Spanish language: Flesch Index, Flesch-Szigriszt Index, Fernández-Huerta Index and grading Inflesz scale. The quality on information was evaluated by the HONcode seal, the DISCERN instrument and the JAMA benchmark criteria. Results: 180 websites containing the terms "aneurisma aorta" and "endoprótesis aorta" were analyzed. Among the websites retrieved, the mean Flesh index score (53.12 ± 6.09 and 47.48 ± 7.12, respectively; P =.019), the Flesch-Szigriszt index (56.39 ± 5.72 and 48.10 ± 8.33; P =.000), and the Fernández Huerta index (61.30 ± 5.59 and 53.19 ± 8.21; P =.000), corresponding to a "somewhat difficult" readability level. In addition, the Inflesz scale (2.62 ±.59 and 2.07 ±.61; P =.000) reported a "somewhat difficult" readability, higher for the websites regarding aortic aneurysm. The HONcode seal was only presented in websites regarding aortic aneurysm (16.7%), whereas none of the websites relating to aortic endoprostheses presented it (0%) (P =.000). Websites that presented the HONcode seal obtained higher DISCERN score (P =.000, 95% CI = 6.42-16.84) and JAMA score (P =.000, 95% CI = 3.44-11.32). Conclusion: Internet information on aortic aneurysms and aortic endoprostheses is too difficult to read for the general Spanish-speaking population and is lacking in quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charitable, or not-for-profit, hospitals have traditionally been exempt from paying taxes. Their tax-exempt status has recently been challenged because of the increasing pressure to reduce the federal deficit and because not-for-profit hospitals do engage in certain business activities. Tax authorities on the federal, state and local levels are viewing not-for-profit hospitals as an inviting potential revenue source. Much debate has occurred at the local level, where property taxes could provide a substantial amount of revenue. The underlying reason for exempting hospitals from paying taxes has always been their charitable purpose and services, but the definition of charitable in the changing health care industry may not be clear. Investor-owned hospitals which do strive to make a profit may provide excellent health care, but without charitable hospitals there would be a void in the system. Charitable hospitals provide services which generate a financial loss because they are not reimbursed, and they are often found in less desirable locations. If municipalities perceive that their charitable hospitals are equivalent in purpose and services to for-profit hospitals, they may decide to initiate property taxes; this would change a 200-year-old tradition. A fundamental conflict exists between the goals of serving the community and returning dividends to shareholders. The charitable hospital should be preserved and respected by the community; to earn this treatment, its staff and administrators must remember the goal of serving the most basic human need for health care. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Hurricane Sandy is likely to have been a heart-stopping event for officials in many coastal cities around the world --particularly in Shanghai, given its low elevation and complementary status to [...]