Nimble response required to combat COVID-19 surges
Spikes in coronavirus cases starting in late June threatened to overwhelm hospitals in several states. Utah is one such state, but steps previously taken at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City suggest the 23-hospital system will be able to manage a surge. Leaders at Inova Health System in Falls Church,…
Pandemic pressures include recruiting and retaining OR staff
Recruiting and retaining OR nurses is harder than ever in the COVID-19 era. Many healthcare facilities are reconstructing their surgical case schedules after the mandatory pause in elective procedures, and some are still on hold. OR leaders are focused largely on guiding staff through the crisis and working toward a…
Taming bullies requires courage, commitment, and consistent effort
Bullying and incivility have long been pervasive in healthcare, particularly in nursing. Additional stressors related to COVID-19 have worsened things in many facilities. “When there’s a crisis, we see the best in people and the worst,” says Renee Thompson, DNP, RN, CSP. “On social media, we’re seeing a lot of…
ASC offsets some revenue loss through 'Hospital Without Walls' waiver
Far fewer cases of COVID-19 have been seen in rural areas of the US than in large urban populations. But even healthcare facilities not inundated with COVID-19 patients have sustained revenue losses and disruptions in standard procedures. One major advantage for Heartland Surgery Center in Kearney, Nebraska, was seeing the…
OR leaders chart new territory for resuming elective surgery
Elective surgical procedures that were temporarily suspended in mid-March are now on the table—or soon will be—at some US facilities. The ban, announced on March 18 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), was enacted to free up resources for facilities overwhelmed by surges of COVID-19 patients. On…
Creative thinking shapes COVID-19 response to expected surge
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented strains on hospitals and healthcare systems, leaving many organizations with limited resources to care for severely ill patients. States, regions, hospitals, and health systems have had to reassess their resources, identify bottlenecks, and develop strategies for increasing critical care capacity. Creating the critical care…
Editorial
The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating, especially for those who have lost loved ones or income due to sudden unemployment. For healthcare workers and emergency services providers, fear of contracting the disease is now a daily part of life. The virus has commanded exclusive coverage in OR a.m. for…
CMS issues recommendations on reopening hospitals in areas with low COVID-19 incidence
Editor's Note: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 19 issued recommendations on how hospitals and healthcare systems can protect their staff and patients as they reopen for nonemergent care. The new recommendations update earlier guidance on limiting nonessential surgical and medical procedures and are specifically targeted…
Retired physicians, nurses, students being called back to work
Editor's Note California Gov Gavin Newsom is calling for retired physicians, nurses, and medical and nursing students to help staff emergency hospital sites, the March 30 Modern Healthcare reports. These sites could include the Los Angeles Coliseum and other sports arenas that will be converted to field hospitals to handle…
CDC: First preliminary description of outcomes in US patients with COVID-19
Editor's Note This first preliminary description of outcomes in COVID-19 patients in the US between February 12 and March 16, 2020, indicates that fatalities were: 10% to 27% in patients aged 85 or more 3% to 11% in patients aged 65-84 years 1% to 3% in patients aged 55-64 years…
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