OR Business Performance is a series intended to help OR managers and directors improve the success of their business. Surgical supplies are a major cost category for hospital ORs. Depending on the specialty and the procedure, supplies may represent 50% or more of total costs per case. Unfortunately, new…
The number of elderly people in the US is on the rise, and so is the number of older patients having surgery. However, while advances in technology and techniques may make surgery more feasible for those age 65 and older, ensuring successful outcomes for this cohort is challenging. Specific guidelines…
Ambulatory surgery patients who become incapacitated should have their wishes for care honored, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) stresses in its new guidelines. Previously, the guidelines permitted an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), for reasons of conscience or policy, to refuse to honor advance directives calling for cessation…
A perennial concern associated with surgery is avoidance of infection. As science reveals new risks and remedies, protocols change and so do regulations. To monitor infection control at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), surveyors use a 15-page worksheet from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The ASC Infection Control…
Just before 2:50 pm on April 15, 2 postanesthesia care nurses from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) crossed the Boston Marathon finish line. Their elation at finishing the race soon turned to fear when they heard the first of 2 explosions. They began searching for friends and family who…
Managing patients’ pain is no longer just a clinical goal—it’s a business necessity. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has started incorporating value-based purchasing (VBP) scores, which include customer satisfaction, into hospital reimbursement payments. Of the total VBP score, 30% comes from results from the Hospital Consumer Assessment…
Last month we shared a positive view of the impact of health care reform on nursing. Kathleen Sanford, DBA, RN, CENP, FACHE, who will speak at the OR Manager Conference in September, said more emphasis on keeping people well will offer “an opportunity for clinical staff to make a difference”…
Managing today’s multigenerational perioperative workforce can seem daunting, but understanding the strengths of each group and knowing how best to communicate with them can turn challenges into opportunities. The first step toward promoting generational interrelationships—and to better manage perioperative services for the future—is to “create a generational profile of your…
