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.…

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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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Editor's Note This study by researchers from Harvard Medical School, Boston, on data from 16.7 million insured individuals, shows that 30.1% of total outpatient visits early in the COVID-19 pandemic (March 18-June 16, 2020) were conducted via telemedicine, and weekly telemedicine visits were 23 times higher, compared with the pre-COVID-19…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on January 20, announced that data collection for a new standardized performance measure assessing a patient’s functional and health status postoperatively will be required for the Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement (THKR) program. Organizations will be required to assess a patient’s…

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Information about COVID-19 transmission and treatment has evolved between the time this infectious disease first emerged and now. As evidence-based knowledge grows and protocols change, and as populations are vaccinated to develop herd immunity, there is increasing optimism about the ability to combat the virus. Meanwhile, it is important to…

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The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines starting in December 2020 was the one bright spot in an otherwise tragic year with a rapidly rising death toll currently over 385,000. Distribution of the 20 million doses promised by year end was thwarted by problems such as lack of coordination and lack of…

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The 2021 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS)/ASC Final Payment Rule was released on December 1, 2020, and became effective as of January 1, 2021. Gina Throneberry, MBA, RN, CASC, CNOR, director of education and clinical affairs, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), summarized the status of Medicare regulations and…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on January 13, announced that it had approved four new elements of performance (EPs) for office-based surgery practices that prescribe medication. The EPs for Medication Management Standard MM.04.01.01, which will become effective July 1, address the following: Having a written policy that identifies specific medication…

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Each December, the international medical community marks Sharps Safety Awareness Month, which serves as a powerful reminder of the significant risks from injuries caused by needlesticks and surgical sharps faced by surgeons, nurses, and other clinicians in their daily lives. Every needlestick injury incurred in the OR comes with a…

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Editor's Note Barrier devices used for intubation may reduce operator exposure to infectious droplets and aerosols, but there is wide variation in aerosol containment, this study finds. Fully enclosed barrier devices reduced vapor and aerosol content in the area of the operator. If no barrier device was used, aerosol content…

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