CMS releases outpatient prospective payment rule
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 25 released its 2019 outpatient prospective payment rule, which includes cutting payments for hospital outpatient clinic visits as part of a site neutral payment policy. CMS estimated this would save patients about $150 in lower copayments for clinic…
Accredited bariatric surgery center reduces postop complications
Editor's Note During a 5-year quality improvement project, an academic medical center’s bariatric surgery program lowered its rates of postoperative complications and readmissions, surgical site infections (SSIs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs), and bleeding despite doubling its surgical volume, finds this study presented July 23 at the American College of…
HFAP announces Joint Replacement Certification program
Editor's Note The Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) recently announced its Joint Replacement Certification program with options for outpatient and inpatient settings that demonstrate excellence in specialty orthopedic care, the July 23 Becker’s ASC Review reports. Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers seeking Joint Replacement Certification must meet the following requirements:…
Joint Commission announces new advisory on pressure injuries related to medical devices
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on July 24 announced a new advisory on pressure injuries related to medical devices--including feeding or oxygen tubes, catheters, orthopedic devices, bedpans, and casts--which now account for more than 30% of all hospital-acquired pressure injuries. The Joint Commission Quick Safety, Issue 43: “Managing medical device-related…
Frailty in younger CABG patients linked to increased mortality
Editor's Note Frailty posed a higher risk of mortality in younger coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients than older patients, this Canadian study finds. In this analysis of 40,083 patients who underwent CABG surgery between 2008 and 2015, researchers found that frailty was associated with poor early and long-term postoperative…
Major healthcare data breaches down in first half of year
Editor's Note Cybersecurity firm Cryptonite reports there were eight major healthcare data breaches in the first half of 2018, down from 19 during the same time in 2017, according to the July 18 Healthcare Informatics. However, the number of patient records breached this year was up, with more than 1.9…
Association of anesthesia, surgery in older adults with cognitive decline
Editor's Note In adults more than 70 years of age, exposure to general anesthesia and surgery was associated with a subtle decline in memory and thinking skills in this study. Of 1,819 patients in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, exposure to anesthesia after age 70 was linked to long-term…
Market growth for small bone, joint orthopedic devices predicted
Editor's Note A Transparency Market Research report predicts the global market for small bone and joint orthopedic devices will reach $8.2 billion by 2023, with an 8.1% compound annual growth rate, the July 19 Becker’s Spine Review reports. Among the key players in the market, which is led by the…
How do you handle social determinants?
Social and demographic factors play a huge role in any patient’s overall health and recovery from surgery. When treating patients who lack health insurance, family support, or language/literacy skills—among many other possible disadvantages—providing safe patient care can extend well beyond clinical aspects. OR managers and their staffs may take on…
Full-scale mockup clears path to efficient new ORs
Anyone who has been involved in an OR design and construction project knows it is a labor-intensive, time-consuming effort—and usually far from seamless. There’s almost always something no one thinks of until it is too late, and the staff must learn to live with the flaws. But a multidisciplinary team…