Hospital employment up in January
Editor's Note US hospitals added 18,800 jobs in January to a seasonally adjusted 5,214,200, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on February 1. Thatโs up 112,100 more employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment has increased 367,800 in the past year. The overall unemployment rose by 0.1% in January…
Disruptive innovation in supply chain: Impact of Amazon Business and technology, Part 2
Supply chain is ripe for innovation, as Amazon Business and technology manufacturers have discovered. In part 1 of this two-part series, we focused on the companyโs role in the supply chain (OR Manager, February 2019, 1, 9-12). In part 2, we look at technology-related trends and innovations that can improve…
OSA screening boosts patient safety and bottom line
An estimated 22 million people in the US have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but up to 80% of cases are undiagnosed, and some 30% to 40% of the surgical population has diagnosed or suspected sleep apnea. More than 3 years ago, the Joint Commission issued a Quick Safety document about…
Editorial
Interest in data analytics, artificial intelligence, technology, and innovation has skyrocketed with rapid advances in systems and devices designed to improve patient care. When it comes to data analytics, asking the right questions is key to finding answers that will enhance efficiency and patient safety, according to David Wyatt, PhD,…
Surgical transfer unit allows patients to bypass ED
There are few things more disheartening for patients than having to board in the emergency department (ED) for long periods while waiting for a bed. ED boarding can also delay treatment and adds to overcrowding and backups. Erlanger Health System, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, decided to tackle this problem head…
Prioritizing patient safety unites and empowers OR teamโPart 1
Communication breakdowns in the perioperative environment are a factor in 70% of events that adversely affect patients. Sometimes those breakdowns occur because OR staff are reluctant to voice their concerns in an environment that is hierarchical and intimidating. However, when an organization adopts patient safety first (PSF) initiatives, adverse outcomes…
'Noncritical' OR items deserve due diligence in disinfection
Much emphasis has been placed on high-level disinfection over the past several years; however, low- and intermediate-level disinfection are also performed in healthcare facilities and are an important part of an infection prevention program. Noncritical items, defined by the Spaulding Classification as those that may contact intact skin, are cleaned…
ASCs react to 2019 regulatory changes
Each year, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) adapt to numerous federal regulatory policy reforms. As an example, since 2012, when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program ASCs had been asking for, ASCs have reported data for a changing set of…
Factors linked to functional recovery of geriatric major surgery patients
Editor's Note In this prospective study, nonfrailty and elective surgery were positively associated with functional recovery of older patients after major surgery. Of 754 community-living patients 70 years or older who were analyzed, 266 survived major surgery with increased disability and were monitored for 6 months. A total of 174…
FDA: Class I recall of Medtronicโs Dual Chamber Implantable Pulse Generators
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on February 15 identified Medtronic, Incโs (Dublin, Ireland) recall of itโs Dual Chamber Implantable Pulse Generators (IPGs) as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the possibility of a software error that can result in a lack of…