Impact of COVID-19 on emergency surgical patients, surgical services
Editor's Note This study from the UK of surgical patients in 18 countries finds that the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted surgical patients—directly through comorbid infections and indirectly by increasing mortality—irrespective of their COVID-19 status. In a subgroup analysis of 3,176 adult emergency surgical patients, all-cause, in-hospital…
Lawsuits building to block federal government HCW vaccination mandate
Editor's Note A coalition of 12 states, on November 15, sued the federal government to block a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandate requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare workers (HCWs) in facilities participating in CMS programs, the November 16 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. This complaint follows a lawsuit…
Hospitals, ASCs face tough decisions in wake of vaccine mandates
Health systems across the country are enacting COVID-19 mandates to comply with a broad-sweeping federal requirement. Amid reports of high compliance rates, the mandate has triggered passionate and visceral responses on both sides of the debate. While some healthcare employees are eager to roll up their sleeves, others decry the…
New value-based models allow for surgeon buy-in, cost savings
The growth of value-based healthcare models is changing the way physicians and hospitals provide care. In value-based models, providers are paid based on patient outcomes. The “value” is derived from measuring health outcomes against the cost of delivering the outcomes. This balancing act has now become more achievable with new…
Raising awareness of “Near-Miss,” retained surgical sharps
In 2018, Sam Weprin, MD, started his first year of residency in Urology. During one of his first prostatectomy cases, he witnessed an impeccable surgery performed by the attending surgeon. Unfortunately, a surgical needle went missing inside the patient. The surgeon and her team spent an hour searching for it,…
Excellence in staff and patient safety using standardization
Last month, OR leaders convened for the 2021 OR Manager Conference in Chicago. The last 18 months have radically transformed healthcare delivery in the US, but many of the underlying challenges faced by hospitals and health systems before the pandemic remain unchanged. Despite the impact of COVID-19, attendees still grappled…
Quality monitoring for decontamination process
The foundation of sterilization is cleaning. How can we be sure that the mechanical cleaning equipment being used is producing clean medical devices? There are methods available to verify that the mechanical equipment used to clean medical devices is functioning appropriately. ANSI/AAMI ST79:2017 Comprehensive guide to steam sterilization and sterility…
Patient safety and the “Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)”
With all of the advantages that come from electronic health records and connected devices, some distinct security risks also exist. Healthcare is seeing these risks grow in the form of ransomware, phishing attacks, and cybersecurity breaches. Healthcare has become one of the industries most vulnerable to cyberattacks, and one with…
Lay groundwork for strong start to new year with quick win in OR efficiency
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,…
Long COVID-19 symptoms may have other causes
Editor's Note This study from France finds that persistent physical symptoms after COVID-19 infection should not be automatically ascribed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this analysis of 26,823 adults, persistent physical symptoms (eg, fatigue, breathlessness, impaired attention, hearing impairment, sleep problems, anosmia) were reported by adults who said they believed…
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- Study: COVID-19's impact on oncological surgery offers lessons for future crises
- Study links pandemic stress to persistent increases in nursing-sensitive quality indicators
- Save the date for the 2025 OR Business Management Conference
- Study: Education, exercise improve knee OA with or without prior surgery
- Study: Early surgery outperforms endoscopy for long-term pancreatitis
- Study: Blood thinner, NSAID combination raises bleeding risk
- Hospital financial report predicts stability, high cybersecurity costs for 2025
- IV fluid shortage drives innovation in hospital hydration practices
- FDA Class 1 recalls target anesthesia workstations, ambulatory infusion pumps, ventilators
- Five leadership lessons from an ASC CEO