AI’s pivotal role in transforming OR efficiency, now and in the future
Next-Gen Disruptors: Technologies Transforming the OR Installment #1, presented by LeanTaaS Surgical procedures are necessary steps in patient journeys—no one wants to have surgery, but most people will need it at some point for care continuity and better quality of life. To best support positive outcomes, optimal recovery periods, and…
How data puts the ‘value’ in value-based care
What if a surgeon decided to perform a procedure on a patient that was not totally necessary? It happens more often that one might realize. As recently as August 2023, Forbes published an article that cited a Harvard Business Review report stating that over 50% of lumbar spine surgeries are…
Decade of salary data shows mix of small gains, stagnation for OR leaders
Takeaways OR leaders have experienced financial gains over the past 9 years, but not enough to keep up with inflation in recent years. Capital and operating budget responsibilities have increased over the past 6 years. Since 2015, OR leaders have consistently been most satisfied with their current job, but much…
How gamification improves OR training, outcomes
Takeaways From mobile phone apps to immersive virtual reality surgery experiences, digital tools make healthcare training more interactive, more engaging, and more fun for everyone from nurses to surgeons. Modern procedures—including minimally invasive techniques and robotic surgery—require 50 to 100 cases for a surgeon to reach a safe proficiency level…
Editorial: OR Business Management Conference tackled financial challenges, technological innovations
This past February, the OR Business Management Conference, held in Phoenix, Arizona, brought together business managers of all walks of life. The intimate event was once again a symbiotic blend between financial- and business-centric education and high-quality networking. The education offered for seasoned and new business leaders alike, perhaps more…
Study data supports less radical cervical cancer surgery alternative
Editor's Note New research supports fertility preservation with cone biopsy as a viable, less radical option for to surgery in patients with early, low-risk cervical cancer, according to a report published March 18 in MedPage Today. Presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology annual meeting, the findings from the Gynecologic…
Johnson & Johnson, NVIDIA promote artificial intelligence for the OR
Editor's Note Collaboration between Johnson & Johnson and Nvidia could soon enable surgeons to automate documentation by using artificial intelligence (AI) to scan video of procedures. CNBC reported the news March 18. Surgical video scans are just one possible application of the collaboration, with the report noting that “J&J’s MedTech…
Surgeons complete first successful animal-to-human kidney transplant
Editor's Note A 62-year-old man in Weymouth, Massachusetts is reportedly recovering well several days after receiving the first kidney to be transplanted into a living person. As noted in a March 21 report in the Boston Globe, the operation at Massachusetts General Hospital marked a new milestone in the effort…
FDA updates warning about plastic syringes made in China
Editor's Note An ongoing US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluation of plastic syringes made in China reveals that quality problems are more widespread than initially believed, the agency reported on March 19. The update to an original November 23 safety notice recommends the following action to alleviate potential quality…
Augmented reality headset, AI software streamline spinal surgery
Editor's Note An augmented reality headset provided a scrub team with a detailed, mixed-reality view of a microsurgical spinal procedures to streamline surgery at Cromwell Hopsital in the UK, according to a March 14 report in Fox Business News. The headset, an Apple Vision Pro, was linked to eXeX, described…