CMS’ pending elimination of the inpatient-only (IPO) list of surgeries is often framed as a breakthrough for ASCs, which will gain volume; payors, who will pay less; and patients, who will enjoy greater access to care. But there’s a correspondingly negative impact that isn’t discussed as much: inpatient hospitals, many…
National attention has been focused on Minneapolis, where federal immigration agents and the local community have been at odds. But there has been trouble about 150 miles north in the city of Duluth, Minn., as well. This week, the local delegation of state legislators from the state’s dominant Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL)…
WALB-TV reports that the city of Ocilla, Ga., cut off water services to Irwin County Hospital on Monday over an unpaid water bill totaling over $20,000, according to local officials. The TV station reports that, according to a hospital official, city workers entered the property and turned off a valve, with hospital…
A new analysis prepared by healthcare consulting firm Kaufman Hall for the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) details a worsening financial outlook for the state’s hospitals, with the association calling for help from legislators. IHA says the analysis shows “margins remain below national averages,” and quoted numerous hospital leaders who warn that…
If you’re looking for a model to handle the devastating but all-too-common complication of postoperative neurocognitive disorders (P-NCD, popularly known as delirium) experienced by your patients, some friends to our north have created a program that might be of interest. Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre this month welcomed the first…
Law firm Reed Smith has taken a deep dive into a complex business and regulatory issue: the relationship and competition between office-based labs (OBLs) and traditional ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and the changes to that dynamic presented by CMS' 2026 Final Rule for ASCs. “The landscape for [OBLs] continues to…
Kara Newbury, JD, chief advocacy officer of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), recently spent some time with OR Manager to discuss the impact of CMS’ 2026 Final Payment Rule, as well as how ASCA is working with both regulators and legislators to achieve even more gains for the ASC…
Healthcare consulting firm Kaufman Hall reports that hospital credit rating downgrades declined in 2025 while the number of upgrades increased, representing a tempering of downgrade activity in recent years. It says growing volumes, increased supplemental funding and improved labor and expense management “contributed to improved financial performance for many borrowers.”…
A new survey of healthcare professionals and administrators found that unauthorized artificial intelligence (AI) tools and apps are in wide use across hospitals and health systems in the U.S., including for direct patient care. Wolters Kluwer Health, which conducted the survey, calls these unauthorized tools “shadow AI,” and says their…
As part of OR Manager's rebrand to Periop Leader Network next month, we’ve refreshed how our content looks, feels, and reaches you—while staying true to our mission of supporting perioperative leaders through shared solutions and practical insight. These updates include a new sending email address and refreshed names and delivery…
