New imaging modalities raise the bar for safety
Since the days of the first rudimentary radiographs, radiation safety has been a concern in the OR, but that concern has risen as the number of hybrid ORs and procedures with imaging has risen. “The level of image guidance in the OR, whether it’s radiographic or fluoroscopy, has become highly…
A clearer, more robust surgical consent process
A large Chicago-area health system has built a clearer, more robust process for resolving any discrepancies in the surgical consent prior to the day of surgery. Consent discrepancies are a risk factor for wrong-site surgery. “We realized that by the time the patient arrives in the surgery area, it is…
Joint Commission's top ten toughest standards
What’s on the Joint Commission’s list of problem standards? The top 10 scored standards didn’t change much in 2011. Five of the top 10 are Environment of Care/Life Safety issues. Here’s a look at the trouble spots as identified at the Joint Commission’s executive briefing in late 2011. Medical…
Joint Commission tools to prevent wrong surgery
Surgical teams received more ammunition in their quest to avoid wrong-site surgery when the Joint Commission’s Center for Transforming Healthcare issued its latest set of guidelines, called the Targeted Solutions Tool (TST). Released February 14, 2012, the TST is available free to Joint Commission-accredited hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).…
Quality council aids ASC staff in building skills
A new resource has emerged to help ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) manage the proliferating requirements they face in achieving and demonstrating performance. It is the quality council. “Another meeting?” one might ask. “Another task that does not include hands-on patient care?” Actually, a well-run quality council can save time, ensure…
Strong capital purchasing process calls for partnership, transparency
Planning for capital purchasing requires skill. If the process isn’t effective, the OR director will end up with unhappy surgeons and staff. But done effectively, capital purchasing can build relationships among surgeons and hospital and OR leaders. “Capital planning is a challenge in today’s economy,” says Dana Crompton, MHA, vice…
Editorial
Where would you expect a patient to look to learn about the quality of your hospital’s services? Maybe the Joint Commission, Hospital Compare, or HealthGrades? Think Facebook, Google Reviews, or YouTube—that’s where many are likely to turn first. Social media increasingly are the go-to source for consumer reviews of any…
BMP use up sharply, but outcomes not improved
Use of bone morphogenic protein (BMP) has risen sharply in the past decade, adding costs without evidence of better outcomes, according to a study in the February 2012 issue of Spine. BMP use rose rapidly, from 5.5% of lumbar fusions in 2003 to nearly a third (28.1%) of procedures in…
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