Editor's Note The upcoming OR Manager Conference in Denver, Colorado, is almost here. The conference will be held on October 17-19, and the full conference brochure is now available online here: 2022 ORMC Brochure. As part of the program, the OR Manager community will be honoring outstanding leaders who have…

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As organizations adapt to COVID-19 and the number of severe cases eases in many areas of the country, leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are seeing a significant uptick in volume of surgical procedures, according to the 2022 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. More than half (56%) reported increased volume in…

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Healthcare costs in the US have increased exponentially in recent years. Surgical procedures are especially costly. Cost control without sacrificing high quality care is the ultimate goal for many surgical practices and payers. Alternative practices and payment models have been explored to meet this goal. Episode-based payments, more commonly known…

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Editor's Note The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) on August 11 announced the publication of its first set of safe practice guidelines to support perioperative medication safety in hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and other procedural locations. The new guidelines: Address best practices related to labeling and storage of perioperative…

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Editor's Note In this annual survey published by Avanza Healthcare Strategies and titled “2021–2022 Hospital Leadership ASC Survey,” senior healthcare executives and clinical leaders shared insights into hospital-owned and hospital-physician joint venture ambulatory surgery center (ASC) trends. The responses show that “hospitals and health systems of all sizes are expanding…

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Editor's Note This study led by researchers at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, New York, finds that morbidity is also associated with surgical site infections (SSIs) after ambulatory surgery in children. Of 65,056 patients analyzed and 13, 795 chart reviews, 45 SSIs were identified after pediatric ambulatory surgery. The weighted…

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Editor's Note Designated by the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), August is National ASC Month. It is an opportunity for ASC’s to raise awareness of their facilities and services. ASCA suggests that ASCs host a facility tour and invite state representatives. In recognition of the month, AORN is offering free…

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The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) has been accrediting ambulatory healthcare facilities, including ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), for more than 40 years, with some 6,100 accredited organizations. A top philosophy of AAAHC is “1095 Strong,” which emphasizes the importance of integrating quality practices throughout a facility’s 1,095 days…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 15 released its Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) proposed rule that would raise rates by a net 2.7% in CY 2023. This update is based on the projected hospital market basket percentage increase of 3.1%, reduced by 0.4%…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its Medicare physician fee schedule proposed rule for 2023, “which suggests further cuts to physician pay while inflation and the cost of running an independent practice continue to rise,” Becker’s ASC Review July 8 reports. The proposed rule would…

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