Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services on January 9 posted data showing that more than 19% of all hospitals in the US are experiencing critical staff shortages and more than 21% are anticipating shortages in the next week, the January 10 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. Five…

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Editor's Note This study led by nurse researcher Peter I. Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN, at Montana State University, Bozeman, finds a tightening of the labor market for RNs, LPNs, and nursing assistants (NAs), marked by falling employment and rising wages from February 2020 through June 2021. The researchers found unprecedented…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced January 5, 2022, that, effective immediately, all disease-specific care (DSC) on-site reviews will implement a portion of the off-site review process developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The off-site review process required organizations to upload documentation before the scheduled review, which organizations told…

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Editor's Note Illinois Gov J. B. Pritzker and the Illinois Health and Hospital Association have asked hospitals to delay nonurgent surgical procedures in preparation for a “likely” post-holiday Omicron surge and shortage of staffed ICU beds, the January 3 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The state is seeing about 500 new…

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Editor's Note Hip fracture surgery volumes in individuals 65 years and older were lower during the pandemic than 2 years before, which contrasts with that seen in the general population, this study from Kaiser Permanente researchers finds. The analysis includes 18,288 patients aged 65 years or older who had hip…

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As representatives of a global healthcare solutions company, we talk and listen to clinicians at hospitals around the country. One of the issues that continually surfaces is that physician preference cards (PPCs) are a challenge at their hospitals. We hear many frustrations related to supply chain documentation. In the end, it all comes…

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Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up slightly in November to a seasonally adjusted 16,041,900 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on December 6. That’s up 2,100 since October. Hospital employment, however, was down by 3,900 jobs. The overall unemployment rate for November was 4.2%, for…

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The new year is just around the corner, and it will bring new challenges for OR leaders as well as fresh opportunities to improve clinical, financial, and operational performance. The typical surgery department is a “target-rich environment”: low utilization, long turnover times, inefficient charge capture, poor documentation, high supply costs,…

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Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up in October to a seasonally adjusted 16,032,600 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on November 5. That’s up 37, 200 since September. Hospital employment also rose by 1,100 jobs. The overall unemployment rate fell to 4.6 %.

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Editor's Note In this study by researchers at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, surgical patients find virtual follow-up care more convenient than traditional in-person appointments without loss of quality or efficiency, which are important components of patient satisfaction. The analysis included 289 patients having laparoscopic appendectomy or…

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