Careful screening and scrutiny needed to select ambulatory surgery patients
The patient, an elderly woman, arrived at Red Rocks Surgery Center in Golden, Colorado, for an ophthalmology procedure. A paraplegic, she was using a scooter chair. Administrator Jane Klinglesmith, BS, RN, CNOR, watched her checking in at the admissions desk and noticed she was on dialysis. As she approached, Klinglesmith…
Medicare may drop bariatric surgery center certification requirement
Supporters of the bariatric surgery facility certification established in 2006 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are anxiously awaiting the agency’s final ruling on whether to reverse that decision. CMS issued a proposed decision memo in June and is expected to make its final ruling by the…
Words of wisdom: OR leaders offer tips for new managers
Surgical services is endowed with a large number of senior nurse leaders. The average age of perioperative nursing managers and directors is 55, and on average, they have been in nursing 30.5 years, according to the 2012 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Nearly half plan to retire by 2020. As ORs…
Three-part strategy suggested to improve patient throughput
Efficient throughput—difficult to achieve, yet essential to long-term financial success—is a Holy Grail for OR nurse leaders, who spend much time and energy seeking it. Given all the demands of their role, how can leaders best use their time to gain the most benefit from throughput initiatives? One method is…
Editorial
Data on inpatient and outpatient hospital charges released in May and June by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have fueled the fire started in March with Steven Brill’s Time magazine cover story, “Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us.” Brill cited sometimes staggering amounts charged for…
Surviving a disaster: Nurses recall Moore's fierce tornado
It had been a busy morning in the OR at Moore Medical Center in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20. By 3 pm, the surgery patients had left the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and gone home. PACU nurses Debra Breshears, RN, and Barbra Barrow, RN, were getting ready to leave when…
Collaborate with surgeons and vendors to control high-end supply costs
OR Business Performance is a series intended to help OR managers and directors improve the success of their business. Surgical supplies are a major component of OR expenses. In the July issue of OR Manager, we showed how controlling spending on low- and mid-priced supplies can reduce overall costs.…
Diligence in coding and charge capture will help prevent revenue loss
With the evolving nature of health care regulations, accurately capturing revenue can be a challenging process for all hospitals. At the OR Business Managers Workshop in April, key concepts about hospital billing, coding, and reimbursement were clarified by revenue expert Keith Siddel, JD, MBA, an attorney with HBL Concepts LLC,…
Free Daily News
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Career Center
- Director of Nursing, Behavioral Health - Signet Health Corporation - Coos Bay, OR
- Academic Trauma & Acute Care Surgeon, Worcester, MA - UMass Memorial Health - Worcester, MA
- Vascular Surgery Physician - Fairfield Medical Center - Lancaster, OH
- Orthopedic Surgery PA - Lahey Hospital & Medical Center - Exeter, NH