Effects of race on operative, nonoperative management of emergency general surgery conditions
Editor's Note This study from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, examines whether the decision to operate or not operate for an emergency general surgery condition affects Black and White patients differently. A total of 556,087 Medicare patients (59,519 Black and 496,568 White) were included in the analysis. Overall, 165,932 (29.8%)…
Two NY Upstate Medical hospitals reimpose mask mandates
Editor's Note Two New York (NY) Upstate Medical hospitals, University and Community General, reimposed their mask mandates on August 17 after an increase in COVID-19 cases was announced, and testing is also now required for all patients admitted to the hospitals, The Daily News reports. According to a memo sent…
FDA: Class I recall of labeling for Impella RP Flex with SmartAssist
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on August 17, identified the recall by Abiomed of the labeling for its Impella RP Flex with Smart Assist System Catheter as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because the cathetersโ instructions for use did not appropriately address precautions…
Survey: Surgical volumes surge in midst of staffing woes
Takeaways It takes an average of 112 days to fill an open RN position and 130 days to fill an open ST position, according to survey results. Turnover rates have decreased slightly but remain high. Most OR leaders are finding it more difficult to recruit RNs and STs, compared to…
Maximizing productivity measurement: Part 1
Takeaways โข Many tools for measuring productivity do not reflect the complexity of the perioperative setting. โข Multidisciplinary teams can help establish productivity metrics and tools. โข Productivity measures vary across the perioperative continuum. For most perioperative leaders, discussions about productivity do not top the list of enjoyable parts of…
Editorial: OR Manager Conference is almost here!
The 36th OR Manager Conference is here! Starting on September 17, hundreds of perioperative leaders will be meeting in Music City, Nashville, TN, at the Music City Center for four days of educational and networking opportunities, as well as exposure to one of the most culturally rich cities in the…
Nurse leader key to ASC success
In the May issue of OR Manager, an article from us at the Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI) covered the definition of the nurse leader in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) space, and what that role may look like depending upon the structural organization of the ASC. We covered that…
Supplementing staff with travelers helps reduce burnout
OR leaders face numerous challenges in managing high patient volumes and complex procedures, as well as in maintaining staff morale. To meet these demands, many ORs have turned to nurse travelers for temporary staffing support. With the addition of nurse travelers, the responsibilities of OR leaders increase, putting them at…
Transformation as a service: What hospitals can expect from LeanTaaS
The surgical department often deals with challenges like underused block time, inefficient scheduling, limited data, and unpredictable demand. They also struggle to match staff skills to service needs. LeanTaaS and its software help to tackle these issues by using lean principles, predictive analytics, and machine learning. The LeanTaaS solutions are…
Survey: ASC volumes continue to rise amid staffing challenges
ASC leaders continue to see increased surgical volumes but are finding it difficult to staff their centers, according to the 2023 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. More than half (56%) of respondents reported increased volume in the past 12 months, the same as last year. Yet the ability to recruit new…