Surgery
Capture the right case data to maximize OR utilization
To rebound from the industry-wide disruption caused by COVID-19, many healthcare organizations are focused on optimizing OR processes to clear the backlog of elective surgical procedures and improve financial performance. However, traditional OR block management methods for surgical schedules provide limited foresight into what block time will ultimately go unused,…
Hospitals ramp up outpatient TJA in the COVID-19 era
Fueled by a pandemic, patient demand, and competition with ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), hospital outpatient department (HOPD) leaders are feeling the push to offer same-day discharge for total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Outpatient TJA is nothing new, but it’s certainly growing in popularity, says John W. Stirton, MD, MBA, medical director…
Large study concludes surgery should be delayed 7 weeks after COVID-19 diagnosis
Editor's Note A new international study with more than 15,000 coauthors from 116 countries concludes that surgical procedures should be delayed for 7 weeks after a patient tests positive for COVID-19, to reduce postoperative mortality risk. The analysis of 140,231 patients undergoing surgical procedures in 1,674 hospitals in October 2020…
Frequency of urgent, emergent vitreoretinal surgical procedures during COVID-19
Editor's Note This multi-center study finds that critical vitreoretinal surgical procedures deemed as urgent or emergency decreased nationwide from March until May 2020, even though the American Academy of Ophthalmology said these procedures should continue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 17 institutions throughout the US. Compared to…
Joint Commission extends reduced volume requirements for advanced stroke certification programs
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 3 announced that it is extending the reduced volume eligibility requirements for its advanced Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) and Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) certification programs through May 31 because the number of patients seeking care for strokes continues to vary because of COVID-19.…
Bundled payments with copay waivers reduce surgery costs for patients, payers
Editor's Note A RAND Corporation study published in the March Health Affairs finds that health insurers and patients can achieve significant savings when they participate in a bundled payment program that waives cost-sharing for patients. Researchers examined a bundled payment program developed by a private insurer that ran from 2016…
Strong new tactics to support COVID-19 financial recovery
The end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight, but hospital surgery departments will not likely see a rapid return to normal. Since the start of the pandemic, perioperative leaders have had to stay flexible and act quickly. Over the next 12 months, OR leaders will need to reassess the…
Diligence in implant processing will decrease infection risks
Implants are foreign bodies, and they increase the risk of a surgical site infection. Processing implants requires strict adherence to the required steps because implants have sustained contact with sterile tissue. An implant is defined as a device that is placed into a surgically or naturally formed cavity of the…
Effect of COVID-19 on stress levels, experience of academic surgeons
Editor's Note In this study led by the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, researchers find that during the early months of COVID-19, the personal and professional experiences of housestaff and faculty differed. Of 335 surgeons from five academic medical centers who completed a survey, 49.3% were housestaff and 50.7% were faculty.…
Increase in pediatric perforated appendicitis in New York City area during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study led by researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, New York City, finds that children in the New York City metropolitan region at the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak had higher rates of perforated appendicitis compared with historical controls. Researchers…
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- Proposed tax credit aims to bolster nurse preceptor ranks
- Study links financial conflicts of interest to favorable robotic bariatric surgery research
- Hospitals double down on ambulatory care expansion with major investments
- Study: Post-laparotomy incisional negative pressure wound therapy fails to reduce infection risk
- FDA announces multiple Class 1 recalls
- Study: ERAS protocol reduces opioid use after cardiac surgery
- Study: Prehabilitation reduces surgical complications, speeds recovery
- Commentary: Studies show how surgeon decisions follow the money