Coordinated COVID-19 response helped ‘flatten the curve’ in Washington State
Editor's Note A regional, coalition-guided, multifaceted approach that engaged healthcare systems, long-term care facilities, state and local governments, and organizations to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, kept Washington State’s death rate the lowest of all states with major outbreaks, this study finds. Six key factors helped “flatten the curve:”…
Dexamethasone reduces COVID-19 deaths by one-third
Editor's Note In preliminary results of this study from the University of Oxford, UK, a low-cost steroid, dexamethasone, reduced deaths by up to one third in hospitalized patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19. A total of 2,104 patients were randomized to receive dexamethasone 6 mg once per day for…
Different timetables, similar challenges seen in elective surgical caseloads
Resuming elective surgical procedures is critical for recovering revenue lost during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and treating patients whose health may have been compromised while awaiting surgery. Timetables and protocols for resuming those procedures tend to differ by facility, but OR leaders nationwide feel that “we’re all…
Editorial
Editor’s note: This editorial is by Judy Mathias, OR Manager’s clinical editor. It is adapted from remarks made in a webinar presented by DLA Piper in partnership with the Cohen Group, titled, “Looking forward: COVID-19 and its implications for global business and international cooperation.” The speakers were General James Mattis,…
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…
Agile, data-driven strategy for managing the OR after COVID-19
As state authorities begin to ease restrictions imposed by COVID-19, physicians, nurse leaders, and administrators face a momentous challenge: resuming elective surgical procedures that have been postponed for several weeks or months. How will they accommodate the looming glut of elective surgery demand with limited infrastructure and staff who are…
Pre-COVID initiatives pave way for successful crisis management
Proactive leadership, early preparation, and ongoing planning and communication have helped mitigate COVID-19 threats at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida. As a result, resuming elective surgical cases in early May was a relatively seamless process thanks to process improvements made before the pandemic hit. “We started working on COVID-19…
Is your SPD ready for a post-COVID world?
While responding to demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, perioperative leaders are busy preparing staff and departments for life after the initial shock subsides. Chief among their preparations are strategies to address the glut of demand for surgery due to postponement of elective and nonessential surgical procedures. Naturally, many focus on…
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…
COVID-19 threatens entire nervous system
Editor's Note COVID-19 causes a global threat to the entire nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, and neurologic symptoms may appear before symptoms, such as fever, cough, or respiratory problems, finds this study from Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. This analysis found that about half of hospitalized patients…
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