Editor's Note The findings of this study from the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Irvine, suggest that there is a high prevalence of microaggressions that stigmatize female and racial/ethnic-minority surgeons and anesthesiologists and contribute to unhealthy surgical workplaces and physician burnout. Of 588 (259 female, 329 male) respondents to a…

Read More

The end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight, but hospital surgery departments will not likely see a rapid return to normal. Since the start of the pandemic, perioperative leaders have had to stay flexible and act quickly. Over the next 12 months, OR leaders will need to reassess the…

Read More

Editor's Note This study by researchers from Harvard Medical School, Boston, on data from 16.7 million insured individuals, shows that 30.1% of total outpatient visits early in the COVID-19 pandemic (March 18-June 16, 2020) were conducted via telemedicine, and weekly telemedicine visits were 23 times higher, compared with the pre-COVID-19…

Read More

Editor's Note This survey of members of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia finds that COVID-19 has affected the personal and professional lives of pediatric anesthesiologists, with women and non-whites disproportionately affected. Of 561 respondents: 21.7% planned to change their clinical responsibilities, and 10.6% planned to decrease their professional working time…

Read More

Information about COVID-19 transmission and treatment has evolved between the time this infectious disease first emerged and now. As evidence-based knowledge grows and protocols change, and as populations are vaccinated to develop herd immunity, there is increasing optimism about the ability to combat the virus. Meanwhile, it is important to…

Read More

Editor's Note Barrier devices used for intubation may reduce operator exposure to infectious droplets and aerosols, but there is wide variation in aerosol containment, this study finds. Fully enclosed barrier devices reduced vapor and aerosol content in the area of the operator. If no barrier device was used, aerosol content…

Read More

Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) issued a joint statement December 8 on performing elective surgery and anesthesia on COVID-19 patients who have recovered from the virus. The statement notes that: In general, all non-urgent procedures should be delayed until the patient…

Read More

Editor's Note Suspension of elective surgical procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York State had only a minor effect on ICU capacity, this study finds. State authorities suspended all elective surgical procedures in mid-March 2020 to increase hospital and ICU bed capacity. However, the effect of canceling…

Read More

Across the US, surgical services are estimated to comprise around 20% of national health spending and typically generate up to 70% of total health system revenue.1, 2 That makes surgical services the largest revenue generator for a hospital, supporting access to numerous other healthcare services. Considering the average hospital has…

Read More

Editor's Note In this study, researchers from the University of Bristol in the UK, find that intubation and extubation of patients during general anesthesia may produce only a fraction of the aerosols previously thought, much less than that produced during a regular cough. The researchers conducted real-time, high-resolution environmental monitoring…

Read More