Triaging OR capacity amid COVID-19: Lessons from the field
Health systems nationwide are examining policies and procedures related to their resources, staffing, and scheduling to prepare for anticipated patient surges due to COVID-19. In late March, I talked with perioperative physicians and administrators from two health systems with rapid increases in COVID-positive cases, which have prompted significant changes in…
Academic surgeons formulate COVID-19 triage plan to reduce OR volume, manage resources
Editor's Note In this study, Elizabeth Wick, MD, and colleagues at the University of California at San Francisco develop a surgery-triage plan to reduce OR volume and manage healthcare resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their comprehensive rapid response plan included: Reducing OR volume by 80% to ensure adequate capacity to…
ECRI Institute, RLDatix collaborate on a caring for the caregiver training program
Editor's Note ECRI Institute and RLDatix announced April 13 a new collaboration to provide free empathetic communication and caring for the caregiver training programs. The first program will be an April 16 webcast that combines the clinical side of the COVID-19 battle (the head) with the need to provide emotional…
FDA issues COVID-19 update
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on April 7 issued an update on actions the agency has taken in its ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The actions include: a guidance for remote ophthalmic assessment and monitoring devices to facilitate patient care while reducing patient and healthcare provider…
Knowledge, perceptions of COVID-19 among the general public in US, UK
Editor's Note The general public in the US and UK have important misconceptions about COVID-19, this study finds. In this survey of 3,000 participants residing in the US and 3,000 residing in the UK, researchers identified several important misconceptions on how to prevent acquisition of COVID-19, including beliefs in falsehoods…
Is professionalism a priority in your OR?
Professionalism may not be a concept OR leaders consciously think about, but they should. As role models for their staffs, they set the behavior standards for the OR, and failure to insist on professionalism can be damaging. Professionalism is not defined simply by dress or presentation, says David A. Wyatt,…
Competition engages staff in cost savings and standardization
More than half of respondents to a recent OR Manager reader survey put cost-saving initiatives at the top of their list of important topics, and cost reduction is an ongoing challenge for many OR managers. Leaders at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVH), based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, took a creative approach…
Social media use by nurses
Editor's Note Social media use among nurses is common, but social media perceptions and practices vary considerably, this study finds. In this survey of 397 nurses in a large academic medical center, 87% reported using a social media account currently. Increasing age was linked to decreasing frequency of social media…
Resiliency reinforced through peer support programs
High rates of burnout among healthcare providers—between 35% and 54% of US nurses and physicians, and between 45% and 60% of medical students and residents—have raised concerns about patient and provider safety. Burnout, a psychological syndrome featuring emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment, is increasingly prevalent…
Editorial
This isn’t the first time OR Manager has addressed burnout and the need for greater resiliency, and it probably won’t be the last, judging by the pervasiveness of this problem. But the good news is, peer support programs—in addition to other resources—show promise for helping people get through tough times…
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