Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on October 23 that laminated posters and badge buddies on the 2020 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) for hospitals are now available for purchase. Areas covered by the NPSGs include: Patient identification Infection prevention Patient safety risks Safe surgery. The posters and badge buddies…

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Editor's Note Ketamine use has grown as a pain management alternative to opioids, but more than one in three patients experience side effects such as hallucinations and visual disturbances, finds this study, which was presented October 21 at the Anesthesiology 2019 annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Duke University researchers categorized…

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Editor's Note Patients having blood drawn by courteous healthcare providers were significantly more likely to say their pain was well-controlled, finds this study presented October 20 at the Anesthesiology 2019 annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Analyzing responses from 4,740 adult patients on questions about pain control (range from 1 to…

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Editor's Note Medical marijuana shows early promise for lessening opioid use and potential abuse in a meta-analysis presented October 20 at the Anesthesiology 2019 annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Overall the results suggest that medical marijuana may provide some benefits such as, decreased opioid overdose rates, decreased opioid use, improved…

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Our series on Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), which began last month with an overview of its history and perioperative pathway, continues in this issue with examples of improved outcomes and the roles played by perioperative team members (see p 18). ERAS, known to speed recovery and increase patient satisfaction,…

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  Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a highly effective treatment for end-stage degenerative joint disease and has helped patients regain functional mobility with reduced pain and improved quality of life. Every year, almost 700,000 primary TKA procedures are performed in the US.1 This number is expected to grow to 3.48…

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Obesity rates and, consequently, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are on the rise in the US, and an increasing number of obese patients are undergoing surgical procedures at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Healthcare providers at such facilities are adding procedures and taking steps to ensure the safety of patients whose body…

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Editor's Note This study found that opioid prescribing can be decreased by more than 50% and not adversely affect patients’ satisfaction scores with their surgeons. Of 996 patients surveyed on their satisfaction with their surgeons before (period A) and after (period B) an educational intervention that resulted in decreased opioid…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on October 16 announced that it was seeking comments on proposed standards for the Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Certification program for hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers. The new standards were developed to further promote patient safety and quality of…

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Editor's Note This survey of patients' satisfaction with their anesthesiologists found that some factors governing satisfaction are beyond the ability of the anesthesiologist to control. Of 629,220 patients administered the “Anesthesia Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire” 51,676 patients responded for a 9.3% response rate. After multivariate regression analysis, no patient or procedural…

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