Effect of bundled payments on total joint costs
Editor's Note In this study, Medicare’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement bundled payment model resulted in a decrease of $5,577 in total spending per episode. Most hospital savings came from implants and supplies, and most postacute care savings came from decreased use of inpatient rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility care.…
ACS, Johns Hopkins launch new national ERAS program
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) in collaboration with Johns Hopkins has launched a new multimillion dollar surgical quality improvement initiative funded and guided by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The new program will enable hospitals to implement Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols, which have…
FDA: Class I recall of Bard Halo One Thin-Walled Guiding Sheath
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 30 classified the recall by Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc (Tempe, Arizona) of its Halo One Thin-Walled Guiding Sheath as Class I, the most serious. The recall was issued because the sheath body may separate from the sheath hub while removing…
Rigorous reprocessing doesn’t free scopes of contamination
Editor's Note This study by Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and associates found that more rigorous reprocessing was not consistently effective in freeing endoscopes of contamination, and many had scratches and dents that could harbor blood, tissue, and bacteria. Even after reprocessing using current guidelines or additional measures, 12 of 20…
ACS opens enrollment for Children’s Surgery Verification QI Program
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on January 31 opened enrollment for participation in its Children’s Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program. The program was developed to improve the quality of children’s surgical care by creating a system to match each child’s individual surgical needs with a care environment…
FDA warns of allergic reactions to CHG
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 2 issued a warning that rare but serious allergic reactions have been reported with use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG). The FDA is requesting that manufacturers add a warning label about this risk to over-the-counter (OTC) products containing CHG. CHG is…
Having big fun in the Big Easy
Editor's Note Social events during the OR Business Management Conference gave attendees a chance to sample Louisiana cuisine and ease the brain strain from the jam-packed days of sessions. The Creole House and Oyster Bar was the place to be on Wednesday evening, where attendees tucked into a three-course meal…
Build a better business year by year
Editor's Note The OR Business Management Conference has seen steady growth in both attendance and exhibits from its humble beginning as a workshop to its current position as the premier educational and networking opportunity for OR surgical services leaders and business managers. Past attendees have praised the conference for its…
Victoria Stewart receives Best in OR Business Award
Editor's Note The inaugural Best in OR Business Award will be presented at the 2017 OR Business Management Conference on Wednesday, February 1, to Victoria Stewart, MBA, director, business operations, perioperative services, at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. The award recognizes an individual who makes complex logistical decisions,…
Preference or procedure card? Take your pick
Editor's Note Whatever the nomenclature may be—preference cards, procedure cards, or pick lists—chances are, your department leaders would like to see them winnowed down. On Tuesday, January 31, OR Business Management Conference attendees will have an opportunity to learn from several individuals who have tamed this beast. Eliminating redundancy and…