FDA clears first duodenoscope with disposable end cap
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 20 cleared the first duodenoscope with a disposable end cap, which will improve access for cleaning and reprocessing. The new features of the Pentax ED34-i10T duodenoscope include a single-use detachable and disposable distal cap, simpler user interface, improved ergonomics, improved…
Risk assessment system from private industry identifies SSI risks in ASCs
Editor's Note A risk-assessment system designed to avoid harm in private industry (ie, Socio-Technical Probabilistic Risk Assessment [ST-PRA]), was used by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-funded researchers to identify practices likely to pose infection risks in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The ST-PRA ranks failure points (events) according to…
Little change in physical activity after total joint surgery
Editor's Note Physical activity in total joint patients did not change at 6 months after surgery and small-moderate improvement was found at 12 months, despite large improvements in pain and quality of life, this meta-analysis finds. A total of seven studies (336 patients) were analyzed. Reasons for the lack of…
Physicians spend more than half their time on EHR tasks
Editor's Note Primary care physicians spend more than half of their workday typing data on a computer screen and completing other electronic health record (EHR) tasks, this study from the University of Wisconsin and the American Medical Association finds. During a typical 11.4-hour workday, physicians spent nearly 6 hours on…
OR leaders report strong job satisfaction but weak compensation
Despite continued challenges ranging from declining reimbursements to finding qualified staff, most OR leaders (71%) are satisfied with their jobs, according to the 2017 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. However, they are less inclined to view some parts of that job favorably. Slightly more than half (55%) are satisfied with…
Successful onboarding of surgeons makes good business sense
Perioperative staff complete a thorough orientation to ease their transition into a new job, but what about surgeons? How are they onboarded into a new OR? This isnโt an academic questionโeffective onboarding is key to the success, including financial success, of the OR. โTo have someone walk through the door…
Editorial
Since July, when repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) stalled, healthcare reform has been somewhat overshadowed by events such as natural disasters and concerns about national security. Now, with insurers due to announce rates for the coming year, Congress is working on a bill to stabilize the…
PACU patient flow improves with CRNA assistance
Throughput inefficiencies are a growing problem in surgical services departments. Patients are held in the OR because there is no room in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and patients are held in the PACU because there are no beds available in the patient care unit or because outpatients having major…
Efficiency efforts improve staff satisfaction with turnover time
Cost mitigation has become a priority in the American healthcare industry, and addressing inefficiencies is a popular way to curb the high cost of medical care. Decreasing turnover time between cases may pave the way for additional cases to be scheduled, theoretically leading to increased revenue for the hospital. However,…
ASC leaders like their jobs despite stagnant salaries
Despite the turmoil in healthcare, leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are a highly satisfied group, with 83% having a favorable view of their current position, according to the OR Manager 2017 Salary/Career Survey. But ASC leaders are markedly less satisfied when it comes to their compensation, with 60% viewing…