Safety/Quality

Latest Issue of OR Manager
March 2025
Home Safety/Quality

Study: Postoperative thirst often overlooked by OR, ward nurses

Editor's Note Postoperative thirst, affecting up to 89.6% of surgical patients, is a significant yet often overlooked source of discomfort, according to a recent study of ward and OR nurses in Japan. Published December 30 in Cureus, the study of how nurses recognized and address postoperative thirst revealed gaps in…

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By: Matt Danford
January 8, 2025
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FDA draft guidance addresses pulse oximeter accuracy, AI devices

Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new draft guidance January 6 providing recommendations improving the use of pulse oximeters and supporting the safety of AI-enabled medical devices, among other topics. Released January 6, draft guidance supporting the safety and effectiveness of AI-enabled devices would, if…

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By: Matt Danford
January 7, 2025
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Study: Esophagectomy outcomes worse at private equity hospitals

Editor's Note A study published in JAMA Surgery revealed that hospitals owned by private equity firms had significantly worse outcomes for esophagectomy patients compared to non-acquired hospitals. As detailed in a January 2 report on the findings in MedPage Today, the analysis of over 9,000 cases highlights disparities in 30-day…

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By: Matt Danford
January 7, 2025
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Study: Black CABG patients disadvantaged in accessing best hospitals

Editor's Note Black patients are less likely to receive surgery at hospitals with the lowest mortality rates despite living closer to these facilities, according to a new study examining Medicare patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) from 2017 to 2019. Authors suggest that physician referral patterns may play a…

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By: Matt Danford
January 6, 2025
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Health system to pilot AI-powered OR cameras; leaders acknowledge privacy challenges

Editor's Note UC San Diego Health plans to pilot artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled camera systems to enhance patient safety, addressing risks like falls and bedsores, but leaders are also acknowledging challenges related to patient consent, compliance, and privacy. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported the news January 5. According to the article,…

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By: Matt Danford
January 6, 2025
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3D modeling advances cardiovascular surgery at Boston Children's Hospital

Editor's Note Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a technique historically used in engineering, is transforming pediatric cardiac surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, Healthcare IT News reported January 2. This approach aims to enhance surgical precision and reduce the need for repeat operations in children with congenital heart defects. Traditionally, pediatric heart…

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By: Matt Danford
January 3, 2025
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Report: Healthcare ransomware compromises millions of patient records, costs billions in downtime

Editor's Note Between 2018 and 2024, ransomware attacks on US healthcare organizations compromised nearly 89 million patient records and resulted in downtime costing an estimated total of $21.9 billion, according to a December 18 report from Comparitech. The report tallies 654 total ransomware incidents during this period targeting hospitals, clinics,…

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By: Matt Danford
January 3, 2025
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First ACS cancer report highlights neoadjuvant therapy expansion, improvements

Editor's Note A significant increase in the use of neoadjuvant systemic cancer therapies is among the most notable findings from the first annual cancer report from The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Cancer Database (NCDB). The report also emphasizes the value of early detection, innovative therapies, and robust datasets…

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By: Matt Danford
January 2, 2025
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Hospitals continue to grapple with IV fluid shortage

Editor's Note US hospitals continue to face a shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids due to Hurricane-related damage to the Baxter manufacturing facility that was responsible for 60% of the nation’s supply, MedPage Today reported December 31. Citing a report from Baxter, the article notes that the manufacturer has restored eight…

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By: Matt Danford
January 2, 2025
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Why active implants demand proactive management

What happens when a surgeon uses the monopolar instrument set on 30-W coagulation mode to create an upper midline incision in a patient with a pacemaker? Pacemaker function is interrupted, causing a heart block that results in hemodynamic instability—or at least, this is what could happen without taking the necessary…

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By: Mary A. Marvin, APRN-BC and Jill Teubel, MSN, RN
January 1, 2025
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