OR Business
Best practices for hiring a consultant
It has been a roller coaster of a ride for almost 2 years now in both our private and professional lives. No one has a crystal ball, but I would guess that there will be more bumps in the road before we arrive at something close to normal—whatever normal will…
Integrated data, insights lead to cost, time savings for OR staff
In 2020, supply costs were once again reported as one of the greatest line-item expenses in a hospital, exceeding labor expenses. US hospitals have most recently reported a combined $36 billion in medical and surgical supply costs. These expenses account for more than half of a hospital’s total supply costs.…
Trends in ambulatory care during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study, led by researchers at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, finds that the use of ambulatory care services between March 2020 and February 2021 increased after an initial decrease with the onset of COVID-19. However, the rate of increase was significantly lower for Medicaid and/or Medicare…
Supreme Court blocks federal government’s vaccine mandate for large workplaces but not for healthcare facilities
Editor's Note The Supreme Court on January 13 blocked the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine-or-test requirement for workplaces with 100 or more employees, but the Court is allowing a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers at facilities that receive Medicaid and Medicare funds. The order covers more than 17 million healthcare workers…
More than 19% of US hospitals critically understaffed
Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services on January 9 posted data showing that more than 19% of all hospitals in the US are experiencing critical staff shortages and more than 21% are anticipating shortages in the next week, the January 10 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. Five…
Nurse employment declined during first 15 months of COVID-19 pandemic
Editor's Note This study led by nurse researcher Peter I. Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN, at Montana State University, Bozeman, finds a tightening of the labor market for RNs, LPNs, and nursing assistants (NAs), marked by falling employment and rising wages from February 2020 through June 2021. The researchers found unprecedented…
The Joint Commission implements some off-site processes for DSC on-site reviews
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced January 5, 2022, that, effective immediately, all disease-specific care (DSC) on-site reviews will implement a portion of the off-site review process developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The off-site review process required organizations to upload documentation before the scheduled review, which organizations told…
Illinois governor urges hospitals to delay nonurgent surgical procedures
Editor's Note Illinois Gov J. B. Pritzker and the Illinois Health and Hospital Association have asked hospitals to delay nonurgent surgical procedures in preparation for a “likely” post-holiday Omicron surge and shortage of staffed ICU beds, the January 3 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The state is seeing about 500 new…
Hip fracture surgery volumes in older individuals during COVID-19
Editor's Note Hip fracture surgery volumes in individuals 65 years and older were lower during the pandemic than 2 years before, which contrasts with that seen in the general population, this study from Kaiser Permanente researchers finds. The analysis includes 18,288 patients aged 65 years or older who had hip…
Building a diverse workforce: Part 2
A diverse workforce benefits the organization and the community, but it can be challenging to achieve. OR Manager recently spoke with experts from leadership, human resources, and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) to gain insights into how nurse leaders can build a diverse workforce. Part 1 (OR Manager, November/December 2021,…
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