New calculator predicts outcomes for metabolic, bariatric surgery patients
Editor's Note A new surgical risk/benefit calculator that can predict a bariatric/metabolic patient’s possibility of postoperative remission at 1 year for five weight-related comorbidities will soon be released by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced on August 20.…
[Free Webinar] Create an Adaptable Culture: Best Practices for Implementing Change in a Clinical Setting
Create an Adaptable Culture: Best Practices for Implementing Change in a Clinical Setting Thursday, September 26, 2019 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET | 1 CE Culture is commonly a significant barrier to change in hospital and surgical center ORs. Today’s OR leaders know that overcoming this barrier demands…
Machine learning identifies preop risks linked to postop Medicare super-users
Editor's Note In this study of more than 1 million Medicare patients, 4.8% were super-users of healthcare and incurred 31.7% of Medicare expenditures after surgery. A machine learning approach identified the following as the most significant risk factors linked to super-utilization of healthcare in the year following surgery: hemiplegia/paraplegia weight…
Family healthcare costs outpacing wages, inflation
Editor's Note Enrollees in large employer insurance plans are facing higher healthcare spending through rising premium contributions and increased cost-sharing, according to an August 14 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Healthcare costs outpaced wage growth from 2008 to 2018, with employees spending $4,706 for premiums and $3,020 on out-of-pocket…
Effect of hospital move to all private rooms on healthcare-associated infections
Editor's Note The move to a new hospital with all single-patient rooms was associated with an immediate and durable reduction in the rates of nosocomial vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization as well as VRE infections, but not in the rates of nosocomial Clostridioides difficile (CDI) or…
CMS to enhance Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 19 announced that it plans to update the quality measurement methodology of the Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings in 2021. The Star Ratings are located on CMS’ Hospital Compare website. While the new methodology is being finalized, CMS…
Experts give hospital rating systems low grades
Editor's Note In this study, experts graded the four major publicly reported hospital quality rating systems on their strengths and weaknesses−most received a C and the highest was a B. The grades were: US News & World Report−B Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Star Ratings−C Leapfrog−C- Healthgrades−D+. The researchers found that…
Joint Commission releases new sentinel event stats
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on August 14 released new sentinel event statistics for the first half of 2019. The latest data also introduce new categories for describing sentinel events, including suicide-related events, surgical or invasive procedure events, anesthesia-related events, and product or device events. The top five most frequently…
Statewide initiative reduces postop opioid prescribing without increase in patient pain
Editor's Note Implementation of opioid prescribing guidelines in the state of Michigan reduced opioid prescription size without negatively affecting patient satisfaction or pain, this study finds. In 1 year, teams at 43 hospitals across the state reduced by nearly one-third the number of opioid pills they prescribed to patients (having…
Joint Commission refines requirements for practitioner credentialing, privileging, and evaluation
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on August 14 that accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals will be able to supplement local data with data acquired from Medicare-certified hospitals and critical access hospitals for the purposes of practitioner credentialing, privileging, and evaluation (focused and ongoing). The supplemental data may not…