More than 1,000 perioperative nurse leaders from across the US and from other countries came up winners when they attended the 29th annual OR Manager Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, in September. Their bets on in-depth educational programs—ranging from contracting for success to enhanced recovery after surgery—paid off with a…

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Recent outbreaks of deadly infections linked to flexible endoscopes have made headlines, and the Food and Drug Administration has issued strict guidelines for reprocessing these devices. However, cleaning and disinfection may not be effective under the recommended protocols, says Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, epidemiologist and president and chief executive officer,…

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Patient satisfaction scores are more important than ever in light of value-based care and their influence on Medicare reimbursement. Employing top-notch surgeons, improving teamwork and communication, and minimizing case delays are some ways to help boost HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey scores. But healthcare providers…

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Trends such as bundled payment models, adding service lines, and increased competition among providers are just some of the challenges facing today’s OR business leaders. Year over year growth of the annual OR Business Management Conference attests to the need for expert advice on the increasingly complex world of budgets,…

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Is it possible to adequately capture the experience of patients undergoing anesthesia when their awareness and perceptions are typically altered by their very experience? A 5-year study of anesthesia patient satisfaction suggests that not only is it possible, but the results are meaningful in providing anesthesia-specific validation and in identifying…

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Part 1 of this series on staffing challenges, published in October OR Manager, explored the challenge of increased demand. In Part 2, we turn to lack of experience, again including examples of how OR leaders are responding.   Recruiting for experience In all, 70% of respondents to the 2016 OR…

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Performance improvement teams (PITs) have helped many businesses resolve workflow or other obstacles impeding efficiency. For perioperative services, PITs consist of a multidisciplinary group of frontline personnel associated with a defined process. PITs often have a key facilitator and are sponsored by leadership. Missions and goals are created, progress is…

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In the United States and globally, the use of reprocessed medical devices labeled and marketed by their original equipment manufacturers as “for single use only” has become commonplace. Large health systems have saved many millions of dollars annually and diverted many hundreds of tons of medical waste by using reprocessed…

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Ask any group of ambulatory surgery center (ASC) administrators their greatest concern, and the most likely answer will be “reimbursement.” Specifically, they will say Medicare payments do not keep up with their costs and revenue expectations. It does not help that the rules and formulas established by the Centers for…

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