Safety CBC News in Canada published a report that portable weapon detectors powered by artificial intelligence (AI) were placed into service last week by Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney, Nova Scotia, to help Nova Scotia Health track potentially dangerous incidents. The provincial government began installing AI-powered weapon detectors, which it…
A Feb. 19 cyberattack took down the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s (UMMC) IT systems, including access to its EMR, resulting in the cancelation of outpatient and ambulatory surgeries and the closure of all of its clinics. Yesterday, UMMC announced that the closures and cancelations will continue through at least…
WPBF-TV reported Sunday, along with numerous other local outlets, that a recovery room nurse who worked at Palms Wellington Surgical Center is facing charges of sexual battery of two female patients at the outpatient location in Royal Palm Beach, Fla., according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. Joel Vega, 34, of…
Earlier this month, we wrote about a massive fire that damaged, forced patient evacuations and closed Lehigh Valley Health Network’s (LVHN) Lehigh Valley Hospital - Dickson City in Pennsylvania. LVHN parent Jefferson Health has provided an update on the status of the facility, announcing that it reopened the hospital, including…
For better or worse, negative perceptions and stories about artificial intelligence (AI) can become accepted truths among vast numbers of the general public. Reuters, one of the world’s most prominent and widely disseminated newsgathering services, spread some more bad vibes about AI with a massive report last week about perioperative…
Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital in Lakewood, Colo., has launched its Direct-to-Operating Room (Direct-to-OR) initiative, which allows caregivers to transport patients with penetrating injuries such as stabbings, shootings, or impalements directly from the ambulance bay or helipad to the OR, bypassing emergency department processes. The program is “designed to expedite lifesaving…
Taking a fresh look at your facility’s efforts to prevent surgical fires? Richard Parker, MBA, CHFM, CLSS-HC, FASHE, FACHE, associate director, physical environment and life safety at Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), last week wrote about the five key components of surgical fire prevention. The article, published by Healthcare…
A raging fire destroyed the orthopedics wing of Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City (Pa.) Wednesday night, forcing the evacuation of 77 patients, including six in ICU, according to local PBS/NPR affiliate WVIA. The station reports that, thankfully, there were no injuries to patients, staff or firefighters. Dickson City Fire Chief Rich…
Retained surgical items (RSIs) remain among the most preventable yet persistently recurring surgical “never events.” Despite decades of implementing process checklists, counting protocols, and technology solutions, surgical items continue to be left inside patients across the country. The question “How do RSIs happen?” is no longer sufficient. Instead, we must…
At October’s 2025 OR Manager Conference, accreditation and regulatory compliance consultant John R. Rosing, MHA, LFACHE, vice president and principal at Patton Healthcare Consulting, advised perioperative leaders to be up to speed with the latest requirements in The Joint Commission's Accreditation 360: The New Standard. This update, released in June…
