Changes in use of bariatric surgery from 1993 to 2016
Editor's Note The safety of bariatric surgery has improved since 1993, and there has been a growth in the number of bariatric procedures performed, this study finds. However, utilization has only marginally increased. Of an estimated 1,903,273 patients who had bariatric surgery between 1993 and 2016, the mean age was…
Royal Philips issues urgent safety alert for fluoroscopy system
Editor's Note Royal Philips has issued an urgent field safety notice for its CombiDiagnost R90 GCF fluoroscopy system, the January 10 MassDevice reports. When the tilting feature is used, the device could be locked in a โTable Up/Downโ state, an issue that could result in the entry of contrast agent…
Trends in robotic surgery for common procedures
Editor's Note This study finds that robotic surgery increased dramatically from 2012 to 2018 and has diffused widely across a broad range of common procedures. This trend was associated with a decrease in the use of open and laparoscopic minimally invasive procedures. In this analysis of 169,404 patients in 73…
Hospital employment up in December
Editor's Note Employment in US hospitals was up 8,800 jobs in December to a seasonally adjusted 5,297,100, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on January 10. Thatโs up 102,000 more employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment has increased 398,800 in the past year. The overall unemployment rate remains…
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Nuts and bolts of new technology acquisition--Part 1
Surgeons often are eager to acquire the newest technology, particularly right after attending a conference with a vendor-packed exhibit hall. How can OR leaders weigh surgeon demands with organizational cost constraints to ensure they meet patient needs while being fiscally responsible? The first step is to acknowledge the complexity of…
Recycling program evolves to sustain gains in waste reduction
Approximately 5.9 million tons of waste annually comes from the healthcare industry, and one-third of that waste comes directly from the OR. Each year, an increasing number of disposable products are used in the OR. To address this dilemma, an OR recycling performance improvement committee was formed at Massachusetts General…
Editorial
Nonprofit hospitals and health systems got a vote of confidence in December 2019 when Moodyโs Investors Service revised its 2020 outlook from negative to stable. The report projected an increase in operating cash flows by 2% to 3%. Moodyโs says increased reimbursements and higher patient volumes will boost revenue. But…
Mastering predictive modeling to improve patient care
The Best in OR Business Award is presented annually at the OR Business Management Conference to recognize an outstanding leader who has saved on costs, increased OR utilization, improved patient safety, or otherwise streamlined the surgical services department. The 2020 award will be presented to Vikram Tiwari, PhD, associate professor…
Reinvent and reap the rewards of improved handoffs--Part 2
An effective handoff helps ensure care transitions are safe and efficient, but achieving the ideal handoff can be challenging. Part 1 of this two-part series provided an overview of the role of handoffs in the perioperative setting (OR Manager, January 2020, 22-23, 25). This article offers best practices for successful…