Editor's Note The OR Business Management Conference this year for the first time offered a lineup of sessions that was fully dedicated to content relevant to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). In this session, Collin Pick, MSN, CRNA, ARNP, CMPE, chief of anesthesia, Physician Partners of America, explored the ongoing anesthesia…

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Editor's Note Treating unintended anesthesia errors as criminal acts could exacerbate workforce shortages, increase malpractice costs, and drive clinicians to defensive medicine, according to experts quoted in a January 15 report from Anesthesiology News. Instead, fostering a culture of safety and learning could more effectively reduce errors and improve patient…

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Editor's Note Implementing a multimodal analgesia-based enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol significantly reduced both intraoperative opioid administration and postoperative opioid prescriptions in cardiac surgery patients, according to a January 5 report in Anesthesiology News. The findings were presented at the 2024 International Anesthesia Research Society meeting by Montefiore-Einstein Center…

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Editor's Note New infection control recommendations from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine) are purportedly the first comprehensive guidelines tailored specifically for regional anesthesia and interventional pain management procedures, such as cortisone injections and drug-delivery implants.   As detailed in the organization’s January 21…

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Perioperative leaders are entering a time of uncertainty after 2024 proved to be transformative for inpatient and outpatient surgical care. Last year saw important updates from The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that emphasized improvements alongside ongoing challenges in safety, workforce shortages, reimbursement, and…

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Editor's Note Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield recently reversed its controversial plan to impose time limits on anesthesia coverage after intense backlash from the medical community, including anesthesiologists and patient advocates. The policy, aimed at curbing alleged overbilling, would have restricted payments based on average surgery times, a move critics…

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Editor's Note Efforts to reduce the risk of postoperative delirium in older patients should focus on preoperative evaluation, anesthesia choices, and medication management, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). Designed specifically for treating adults aged 65 and older undergoing inpatient surgery, these new, evidence-based recommendations are presented in…

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Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) commended Anthem's reversal of a policy to deny anesthesia payment based on arbitrary time limits, which was set for February 2025 in three states. “The now-rescinded policy was inconsistent with prevailing standards, regulations and billing norms, and revealed a diminished dedication to…

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Editor's Note A recent report in Becker’s Hospital Review illuminated health systems’ efforts to address physician shortage by integrating advanced practice providers (APPs) into care models. Citing projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Becker’s noted that nurse practitioners (NPs) “are the fastest-growing occupation in the country, with employment in…

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Editor's Note The American Medical Association (AMA) expressed “strong opposition” to a proposed regulation in Washington, DC, that would allow certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) to use the title “nurse anesthesiologist.” As detailed in a December 2 announcement, a letter to the DC Department of Health from AMA CEO James…

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