Editor's Note Nearly 20% of patients are discharged before all vital signs are stable, which is associated with an increased risk of readmission and death, this study finds. Of 32,835 patients from six Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, hospitals analyzed, researchers found abnormalities in temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and…

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Editor's Note Medicare’s value-based purchasing (VBP) program revealed superior performance associated with physician owned surgical hospitals in this study. Researchers analyzed 3,089 hospitals that included physician-owned surgical, University HealthSystem Consortium, US News & World Report Honor Roll, Kaiser Permanente, and Accountable Care Organization hospitals. Estimated mean total performance scores were…

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Editor's Note Patients in rural hospitals are significantly (14%) more likely than nonrural patients to die after traumatic injuries, this study finds. The disparity was greatest for injuries occurring in the South and Midwest and for cases with an injury severity score of <9 or unknown severity. Distance and time…

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Editor's Note Hospitals can avoid medical-surgical patient handoff errors by using a web-based handoff tool to improve communication among physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers, this study finds. Of 5,407 patients included in the study, 77 errors were detected before implementation of the handoff tool versus 45 after implementation. Brigham…

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Editor's Note Technical and nontechnical skills are both important to successfully and safely perform surgical procedures, according to recommendations presented August 5 at the National Surgical Patient Safety Summit in Rosemont, Illinois. Among the recommendations were that the surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, and support staff ensure consistent use of surgical safety…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 5 reported that Hospira, Inc (Lake Forest, Illinois) is recalling one lot of 0.25% Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection, USP (NDC: 0409-1159-02, Lot 59-064-DK, Expiry 1 Nov 2017) because of the presence of particulate matter found in a single vial. The lot…

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The interactive hybrid OR, which debuted at the annual OR Manager Conference in 2014, grows larger and more comprehensive each year. For 2016, representatives from more than 10 different companies will be on hand to answer questions, and product demonstrations will create a dynamic learning environment. The 2015 town hall…

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Implementation of crew resource management training at a large academic medical center led to statistically significant improvements in 10 out of 12 dimensions of safety culture, according to surveys conducted before and after training took place. Crew resource management (CRM) is a systematic approach adapted from the airline industry to…

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More than 1,200 individuals from the US and abroad attended the 2016 annual conference of the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) in San Antonio, Texas. The conference, which covered sterile processing techniques, management skills, and regulations, also provided numerous networking opportunities. Preconference educational events included IAHCSMM’s…

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Leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) know a competent staff is essential for optimal patient outcomes and financial well-being, but competing pressures sometimes relegate competency assessment to completing a checklist to meet regulatory requirements. Unfortunately, this approach can result in missed opportunities. “Competency assessment helps promote safe care and quality…

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