Harnessing power of AI: Operational improvements for the OR
ORs are at the heart of healthcare organizations, where critical decisions are made, often under immense pressure. This pressure has escalated with ever-increasing demands, growing complexities, and the constant requirement for innovative solutions. In todayโs rapidly evolving technological landscape, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and the emerging generative AI…
Navigating challenges of connecting recalls to patients, inventory
Healthcare facilities face challenges in the recall process of tissue, non-biologic implants, and medical devices because of their time-sensitive nature and inherent risks to patient safety and compliance. Hospitals often use secondary sources for recall notifications. These lists, however, do not include two critical piecesโthe identification of affected patient cases…
Keeping it sterile: Fundamentals of sterile storage
Using sterile items in surgery is a fundamental practice, not a rudimentary one that can or should be taken for granted. Put simply, using unsterile items can result in a patient infection. If sterile storage conditions are not appropriate, the items can become contaminated. Such contamination may go undetected, rendering…
Clinical evaluation of latest miscount management tool
A big question was circulating amongst the OR professionals at the AORN Global Surgical Conference floor this year: โHow do we improve our miscount protocols?โ It was clear that nurses and OR managers are looking for a better miscount management solution. Manual counting has been the standard in preventing retained…
Factors linked to nurse manager success
Editor's Note This study, led by the University of Central Florida, Orlando, examined individual and organizational factors associated with nurse manager success. A large US sample of nurse managers was divided on the basis of nurse and patient outcomes. The results show: A wider nurse manager span of control is…
First robotic liver transplant in US performed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Editor's Note Washington University School of Medicine, on July 12, announced that a team of its surgeons performed the first robotic liver transplant in the US in May at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St Louis. The patient, a man in his 60s who needed a transplant because of liver cancer and cirrhosis…
FDA: Class I recall of Quidel Triage Cardiac Panels
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on July 17, identified the recall by Quidel Cardiovascular Inc of its Quidel Triage Cardiac Panels as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of reports of inaccurate tests showing lower than expected troponin levels in samples. A falsely…
How real-time OR data entry, display provides real-world benefits
Systems for managing electronic hospital records (EHR) are critical for recording, storing, and protecting patient data, but these systems fall short in situations where real-time data is needed, such as in the surgical department. Relying on time-consuming data entry by busy OR staff, EHR systems alone simply cannot capture…
Discrepancies in FDA clearance, marketing of AI-, ML-enabled medical devices
Editor's Note This study from New York University and NYU Langone Health, New York City, finds discrepancies between the marketing and 510(k) clearance of artificial intelligence (AI)- or machine learning (ML)-enabled medical devices, with some devices being marketed as having capabilities not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).…
ACS: Outdoor safety tips from a pediatric trauma surgeon
Editor's Note With increased summer time outdoor activities is an increase in injury rates, which trauma surgeons often refer to as โtrauma season,โ according to a July 18 report from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Brendan Campbell, MD, MPH, FACS, chair of the Injury Prevention and Control Committee of…