CMS immediate jeopardy trail may lead to the OR
What makes an OR subject to an immediate jeopardy finding from a Medicare inspection? Immediate jeopardy is cited when a provider’s noncompliance with one or more of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid’s (CMS) Conditions of Participation causes or is likely to cause serious injury, harm, impairment, or death. …
Colon resection complications that affect outcomes
Editor's Note Anastomotic leaks and postoperative ileus had significantly higher associations with 30-day patient outcomes after colon resection than surgical site infections (SSIs), urinary tract infections, and venous thromboembolism, this study finds. In 26,682 patients undergoing colon resection, the most common postoperative complications were ileus (11.8%), bleeding (7.6%), and incisional…
Tools lacking to assess readmission risks after joint replacement
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and care providers lack the predictive models needed to assess risks for readmission after joint replacements, finds this study. Researchers tested the applicability of the Carlson Comorbidity Index, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, and CMS Hierarchical Condition Category to see whether any…
Use of high-, low-quality hospitals by uninsured
Editor's Note Despite the Affordable Care Act, which was designed to improve access to care for patients without insurance, patients without insurance have lower use of high-quality hospitals, this study finds. The probability of admission to high-quality hospitals was similar for patients with Medicaid (23.3%) and private insurance (23.0%), but…
ACS notifies members of CMS software errors
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on January 20 notified members that it had received a letter from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) saying new moderate sedation codes that took effect January 1 were incorrectly bundled into several surgical procedures codes in CMS payment software.…
CMS extends deadline for reporting 2016 quality data
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on January 17 announced a deadline extension for reporting CY 2016 electronic Clinical Quality Measure data to avoid a 2.7% payment adjustment in FY 2018. The extension applies to hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality…
Adding new business to the ASC, one procedure at a time—Part 1
An ambulatory surgery center (ASC) looking to expand its market may want to add new procedures, but only after careful consideration of resource investment versus ultimate benefit. In the first of a three-part series, OR Manager explores surgical specialties that appear to show promise for the outpatient setting. One of…
Care after surgery drives costs
Editor's Note This study finds that where surgical patients go after they are discharged varies widely, and that variation leads to huge differences in how much their care costs. Variation in postacute care spending between lowest and highest quintiles differed 129% for total hip replacement, 103% for coronary artery bypass…
Joint Commission prohibits secure texting of patient orders
Editor's Note The Joint Commission in December banned the use of secure text messaging to transmit patient orders, the January 9 Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality reports. The Joint Commission collaborated with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make the following recommendations: Healthcare facilities are prohibited…
Relationship between anesthesia service use and screening colonoscopy rates
Editor's Note No significant association was found between anesthesia service use and colonoscopy screening or colorectal cancer screening rates, suggesting that more evidence is needed to support the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rule change that defined “screening colonoscopy” to include separately furnished anesthesia services, this study finds. The…
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