Building a Data-Driven Management Culture and Leveraging Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics
Successful capacity management is a significant challenge for OR leaders because OR supply is fixed while demand is highly unpredictable. Additionally, optimizing capacity based on block utilization has not been effective because of a lack of usable data, visibility, and transparency. A more effective approach to optimizing capacity is leveraging…
Disparities persisted as orthopedic surgery patients shifted to telemedicine
Editor's Note This study by researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Womenโs Hospital, Boston, finds that disparities in access to orthopedic care persisted as orthopedic surgical patients were shifted to telemedicine during COVID-19. The researchers analyzed nearly 2,000 orthopedic patients receiving care via telemedicine from March to May…
FDA: BD recalls certain lots of ChloraPrep
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration announced on April 20 that Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) was recalling certain lots of its ChloraPrep Hi-Lite Orange 26 mL Applicator. ChloraPrep is used as an antiseptic to prepare a patientโs skin before surgery. The recall was initiated because the Applicator, which…
Wastewater testing effective for COVID-19 detection in nursing homes, dorms
Editor's Note This study from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Engineering, Charlottesville, finds that wastewater-based monitoring for COVID-19 is an effective means for detecting and controlling the virus in congregate living settings. The researchers monitored wastewater from two student dormitory complexes for 8 weeks and…
US records lowest weekly COVID-19 cases since September
Editor's Note On May 10, Reuters reported that COVID-19 cases in the US dropped 17% to less than 290,000 for the week ending May 9. This is the fourth week in a row that new cases have decreased, and the fewest weekly cases since September. COVID-19 deaths fell 1.3% to…
Asymptomatic, symptomatic COVID-19 after Pfizer vaccination in routinely screened HCWs
Editor's Note This study from St Jude Childrenโs Research Hospital, Memphis, ย finds an association between vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in hospital employees and a decreased risk of symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 infections. Between December 17, 2020, and March 20, 2021, 5,217 healthcare workers (HCWs) met vaccination criteriaโ3,052 (58.5%) received…
Healthcare employment down in April
Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was down in April to a seasonally adjusted 15,950,300 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on May 7.ย Thatโs down 4,100 since March. Hospital employment was down 5,800 jobs.ย The overall unemployment rate went up to 6.1%.
Effectiveness of adding mask recommendations to other COVID-19 public health measures
Editor's Note This randomized, controlled trial by Danish researchers finds that wearing surgical masks to supplement other public health measures did not significantly reduce the COVID-19 infection rate, compared with no mask. Of 6,024 trial participants, 3,030 were randomly assigned to wear high-quality surgical face masks with a filtration rate…
COVID-19 cases at 7-month low
Editor's Note The US averaged 48,000 new COVID-19 cases per day in the past week. This is a 15% improvement from last week, and the first time since October 2020 that average daily cases have fallen below 50,000. Nationally, deaths from COVID-19 fell 3% to 4,819, the fewest deaths in…
Performance of disposable vs reusable cover gowns
Editor's Note In this study, led by researchers at Florida State University, Tallahassee, reusable cover gowns were found to provide increased protection, compared to disposable cover gowns. During personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that washable cloth…