ECRI Institute releases top 10 patient safety concerns
Editor's Note The ECRI Institute on March 13 released its 2017 Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns for Healthcare Organizations. This year’s list includes: Information management in electronic health records Unrecognized patient deterioration Implementation and use of clinical decision support Test result reporting and follow-up Antimicrobial stewardship Patient identification Opioid administration…
Standards developed to improve surgical care in elderly
Editor's Note The Coalition for Quality in Geriatric Surgery (CQGS) developed high-quality, valid standards to improve surgical care in the older adult, this study finds. A total of 306 of 308 standards developed were rated as valid to improve quality of geriatric surgery, 290 were rated as feasible, and 18…
FDA issues alert on use of angioplasty devices in TVAM
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 8 issued a Safety Alert about the use of balloon angioplasty devices to perform an experimental procedure, called transvascular autonomic modulation (TVAM). TVAM consists of threading a catheter into a patient’s venous system, such as the jugular vein, where a…
Certified Nurses Day is March 19
Editor's Note The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) on March 8 announced it is joining with hospitals and other healthcare groups across the country to celebrate and recognize the work of certified nurses as part of Certified Nurses Day, March 19. Certified Nurses Day is an annual worldwide event…
Joint Commission evaluating use of non-powdered gloves
Editor's Note As a result of the Food and Drug Administration’s ban on powdered gloves that went into effect January 18, the Joint Commission is now evaluating organizations on the implementation of non-powdered glove use during accreditation surveys, the Joint Commission announced March 7. Instances of noncompliance are being cited…
Preop opioid use linked to increased costs, worse outcomes
Editor's Note Opioid use before major abdominal surgery was independently associated with increased postoperative healthcare utilization and morbidity in this study. Of 2,413 patients analyzed, 502 used opioids preoperatively. After covariate adjustment, opioid users, compared with non-opioid users had: higher costs ($26,604 vs $24,263) longer lengths of stay (5.9 vs…
App helps surgical patients recover faster
Editor's Note To help surgical patients recover faster, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago has started providing them with a computer app that prompts, monitors, and encourages activities that promote healing. The app, called “SeamlessMD,” can be downloaded to a patient’s smartphone, tablet, or computer and is part of Rush’s…
Incidence, predictors of in-hospital postop opioid overdose
Editor's Note Opioid overdose is a rare but potentially lethal complication after elective inpatient surgical procedures, and the incidence is increasing, this study finds. Of 11,317,958 patients analyzed, 9,458 (0.1%) had a postoperative opioid overdose, and the frequency doubled during the study period (2001 to 2011) from 0.6 to 1.1…
CRNAs encourage patients to learn about pain management options
Editor's Note For the National Patient Safety Foundation’s Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 12 to 18, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) are urging surgical, obstetric, and chronic pain patients to learn about the risks and benefits of pain relief options available to them, including opioid and non-opioid treatments. Partnering with…
Study: Improving preop throughput
Editor's Note Healthcare managers’ top priority needs to focus on work environment design to improve preoperative throughput and OR first-case on time starts, this study finds. Two main barriers were identified−lack of equipment and availability of equipment in the preoperative area. Four vital sign monitors with wheels were purchased, as were…