A global pandemic did not stop the proliferation of joint ventures between ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospitals in 2020. The trend continues in 2021, as federal regulators expand on the types of procedures that can be performed in the ambulatory setting. Hospitals are recognizing the need for a surgery…

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Surgical smoke is a complex issue that has not gained a lot of traction over the years. Legislation to mandate smoke evacuation was introduced more than 20 years ago, but the first law wasn’t passed until 2018, and only three US states thus far have enacted legislation. Release of The…

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Editor's Note The findings of this study from the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Irvine, suggest that there is a high prevalence of microaggressions that stigmatize female and racial/ethnic-minority surgeons and anesthesiologists and contribute to unhealthy surgical workplaces and physician burnout. Of 588 (259 female, 329 male) respondents to a…

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For BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) leaders who are healthcare professionals, ensuring the delivery of quality care is often made more difficult by the racial or ethnic bias they may encounter within their organizations. In this article, five BIPOC perioperative leaders share their experiences and offer advice for…

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Combatting COVID-19 is the top priority of President Joe Biden. On Day 1 of his presidency, he signed numerous executive orders, including one that aims to provide “a unified and effective response” to the crisis and one that mandates mask-wearing and social distancing on all federal properties. His strategy is…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on February 8, issued a new Quick Safety addressing safe, equitable care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Quick Safety focuses on actions organizations can take to: address racial and ethnic disparities remove barriers to providing safe, equitable healthcare. The pandemic has put a spotlight on…

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Any process improvement project is far more likely to succeed with backing from leadership. The familiar phrase, “the buck stops here,” reflects a mindset that applies to OR managers who take ownership of what happens to their patients and their staffs every day. But what if they could say, “the…

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This series, written by OR Manager’s clinical editor, Judy Mathias, MA, RN, presents the management approaches of top leaders from around the country and describes the qualities that make them exemplary leaders. These articles are intended to inspire nurse leaders to achieve the highest levels of success in their careers…

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Receiving the OR Manager of the Year award is considered a high honor, and this year’s winner says it is even more meaningful because of the global pandemic. “I’m extremely humbled to receive this award this year,” Stephanie Davis, MSHA, RN, CNOR, CSSM, told OR Manager. “Nurses are working so…

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Staffing to a block duration can be inefficient. Uncontrolled variables such as increased case complexity and unexpected staff absences can cause chaos. Leaders from Penn Medicine—Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia used data analytics to measure the efficiency of matching staffing against an optimized OR schedule, which allowed them to predict staffing…

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