VA hospitals outperform non-VA hospitals on outcomes
Editor's Note In this study, data show that Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals have a similar or more favorable quality compared with non-VA hospitals. Data for 129 VA and 4,010 non-VA hospitals were evaluated on 17 outcome measures (9 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Patient Safety Indicators [PSIs], 4 mortality…
Interhospital comparison of orthopedic SSIs
Editor's Note Deep surgical site infection (SSI) rates in orthopedic surgical procedures may be a better tool for interhospital comparisons than overall SSI rates, this study finds. Researchers in Finland analyzed infection surveillance data for 73,227 total hip arthroplasties and 56,860 total knee arthroplasties performed in 18 hospitals from 1999…
Supplementing OR teaching with video-based coaching
Editor's Note This study finds that video-based coaching is feasible for supplementing intraoperative teaching of residents to perform surgery. Teaching in a video-based coaching session was compared with teaching points made during a corresponding OR case. Teaching in video-based coaching sessions was more resident centered. Surgeons were more inquisitive about…
Causes, characteristics of ICU deaths
Editor's Note In this French study, the majority of ICU patients had at least one organ failure at the time of death. Of 698 patients analyzed, 84% had one or more organ failures and 89% required at least one organ support at the time of death. Deaths were considered unexpected…
Innovation: The path to superior OR teamwork and results
Healthcare lags behind other industries when it comes to innovation. That’s partly because new treatments must be vetted for safety and efficacy, and partly because fee-for-service reimbursement sparked little incentive for creativity and efficiency. Under value-based purchasing, OR leaders have more opportunity to be innovative, but first they must understand…
OR utilization improves with data gleaned from software program
One of the biggest challenges for OR managers is efficient use of OR blocks. OR managers struggle to balance revenue and utilization targets with surgeon and staff preferences. The result is underutilized OR time, unnecessary costs, and dissatisfied staff. “Let’s face it, our block allocation process isn’t very efficient,” says…
Editorial
Recent developments such as the Trump administration’s failure to pass its healthcare reform bill and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid’s (CMS) decision to delay expanding its bundled payments program leave the healthcare industry in a position of uncertainty. It’s difficult to plan, and signs of any real progress are…
Conference speaker advocates a 'drama-free' OR
Creating a harmonious work environment can only be achieved through effective leadership that discourages conflict and negativity. “Ditching the drama, restoring sanity to the workplace, and turning excuses into results” is how Cy Wakeman, MS, BSW, describes her leadership philosophy. “Circumstances are not the reasons we can’t succeed—they are the…
Evidence-based practice supports adopting ERAS protocols
As part of the shift to value-based care, a logical step for healthcare organizations is to adopt enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols. The literature supporting the use of ERAS is growing, with many studies demonstrating that it leads to shorter length of stay (LOS) and fewer complications. Results of…
Turnover times improve with multiphase approach
Major changes at a facility such as reorganizing service lines or adding new ORs can be highly disruptive, cutting into productivity and potentially loss of revenue. What can OR managers do to avoid this situation? At Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, OR leaders were facing several simultaneous challenges: planning…