Effect of interruptions in Medicare patient treatment during COVID-19 on physicians, practices
Editor's Note This study from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, finds that practice interruptions in the treatment of Medicare patients spiked in April 2020, and interruption-without-return rates were larger for older physicians. In this analysis of 547,849 physicians billing Medicare: Practice…
COVID-19 vaccination requirements result in HCW terminations, resignations
Editor's Note COVID-19 vaccination requirements have caused some organizations to fire healthcare workers (HCWs) for noncompliance, and HCWs have quit over the policies, the September 17 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. Healthcare systems announcing resignations and terminations include the following: Morehead, Kentucky-based St Claire HealthCare has fired 23 HCWs for noncompliance…
Survey: Orthopedic patients more satisfied with telehealth visits than surgeons
Editor's Note In this study presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting in San Diego, researchers found that orthopedic surgical patients had a higher level of satisfaction with telehealth visits than surgeons, the September 16 Healio Orthopedics Today reports. Of 107 patients and six surgeons surveyed, approximately…
FDA: Class I recall of Medtronic Pipeline Flex Embolization devices
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on September 20, identified Medtronic’s recall of its Pipeline Flex Embolization Device and Pipeline Flex Embolization Device with Shield Technology as Class I, the most serious. The devices, which are used to treat brain aneurysms, were recalled because there is a risk…
Survey: Dips in job satisfaction, engagement may relate to pandemic
Over the past year, job satisfaction of OR leaders as well as staff and physician engagement have all eroded, according to the 2021 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Although more than two-thirds (67%) of respondents rate their current jobs or positions favorably, that is down from the 77% seen in 2020…
Countering bullying through teamwork, increased awareness
Bullying is a serious problem seen in all aspects of life—at home, in school, and in the workplace. Anyone can be a bully, but bullying is often carried out by those who are threatened by or view themselves as superior to others. However, the younger generations, who are slowly taking…
Editorial
Since joining OR Manager, I have realized that perioperative nursing is facing a bit of a crisis. Issues such as retention, burnout, and job satisfaction are not new but have become more challenging recently, making recruitment more difficult than in the past. A higher percentage of respondents to this year’s…
Retaining nurses in a post-pandemic era--Part 2
Even as vaccination rates rise, COVID-19 continues its grip on the healthcare system and nurses are feeling the consequences, including staffing challenges that have prompted a renewed focus on retention. Scars left by the pandemic will complicate retention efforts. “The pandemic has made things much worse, not only for the…
OR Manager of the Year shows leadership in smart policy
Mary Anne Douglas, MS, RN, CNOR, the 2021 OR Manager of the Year, has a daily routine: she spends about 15 to 20 minutes every morning catching up on pandemic- and healthcare-related news that might help her stay dynamic and innovative in her field. Evidence of her inspired work is…
How might telehealth alter approaches to surgical patient care?
Telehealth services grew exponentially in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall telehealth utilization for office visits and outpatient care was 78 times higher in April 2020 than in February 2020, according to a McKinsey & Company July 2021 report. Since then, telehealth utilization has stabilized at levels that…