Effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19
Editor's Note This case-controlled study by researchers from White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont, and Dartmouth School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, finds that mRNA vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 decreases significantly after about 6 months. In this analysis of 14,238 male veterans aged 65 or…
The Joint Commission updates 2022 ORYX performance measure requirements
Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on December 15, announced that it had updated its 2022 ORYX performance measure reporting requirements for accredited critical access hospitals and hospitals, effective January 1, 2022. Among the updates: The Joint Commission’s new Direct Data Submission Platform (DDSP) will be available for hospitals to submit…
Mastering surveys by The Joint Commission, CMS during COVID-19 pandemic
The 2021 OR Manager Conference in Chicago saw John R. Rosing, MHA, FACHE, executive vice president and principal of Patton Healthcare Consulting, Naperville, Illinois, give his annual update on mastering Joint Commission standards and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) regulations. The past 2 years of COVID-19 restrictions have delayed…
Takeaways and lessons learned from OR Manager Conference
After more than a year in hiatus, OR Manager Conference was held in October 2021 in Chicago, bringing together hundreds of attendees, speakers, and exhibitors. After the live conference, OR Manager sat down with Cindy Kildgore, education coordinator for the OR Manager Conference; Amy Bethel, education coordinator for the OR…
Four problems and solutions with physician preference cards
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…
Are spinal procedures the wave of the future for ASCs?
Looking toward 2022, spine procedures are expected to drive growth and optimize performance in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Michael Ast, MD, chief medical innovation officer for HSS, Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, can attest to this personally. A year ago, his father could not even walk up a…
CDC: Surveillance of Omicron variant in US
Editor's Note On December 1, the first case of COVID-19 attributed to the Omicron variant was reported in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of December 8, Omicron variant cases had been reported in 22 states, including some that indicated community transmission. Of…
Appeals court upholds halt on COVID-19 vaccine mandate for HCWs
Editor's Note The US Court of appeals for the 8th Circuit, on December 13, affirmed a lower court’s decision to halt the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for healthcare workers (HCWs) at facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs, the December 14 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The court turned down the Biden…
Kentucky declares State of Emergency related to nursing shortage
Editor's Note Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, on December 9, declared the state’s nursing shortage amid the COVID-19 pandemic a State of Emergency. The executive order noted that Kentucky is operating 12% to 20% short of the needed nursing volume, and the state is projected to need more than 16,000 additional…
Emergency departments affect postop readmission rates
Editor's Note This study by researchers at Indiana University and the University of Michigan finds that emergency departments (EDs) are a significant factor in preventing readmissions after major surgery. Researchers analyzed the electronic health records of nearly 2 million Medicare beneficiaries who had one of five surgical procedures (ie, percutaneous…
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