Even when recommended cleaning and disinfection protocols are followed, residual contamination of instruments is possible, researchers have found (OR Manager, November 2016, 1, 10-11). Visual inspection can catch some signs of contamination, but it won’t reveal problems within channels and other areas of complex medical devices. That’s why it’s important…

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Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) quality scores became public for the first time in 2016. ASCs and regulators including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) say they are pleased to have documentation of their track records. But what do the scores really mean, and how useful, exactly, are they…

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Standing out from the competition in any industry requires the use of effective marketing tactics. In the case of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), these tactics can be divided into physician referral, recruitment, and retention; online; and internal and external marketing. Here is a closer look at each of these. (For…

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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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