Joint Commission: Michigan second state to partner on statewide high reliability effort
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on March 9 that the Michigan Health & Hospital Association and its member hospitals have partnered with the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare on a statewide high reliability organization improvement effort. Michigan is the second state to partner with the Center; South Carolina…
Study doesn’t support capnography for colonoscopy
Editor's Note Capnographic monitoring during outpatient colonoscopy with moderate sedation increased costs significantly and did not improve patient safety or satisfaction, this study finds. The analysis included 966 patients (465 without and 501 with capnography) who underwent colonoscopy at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. Patients and nurses reported…
PSH initiative demonstrates measurable impact on quality, costs
Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists and Premiere on February 9 announced results from the first phase of the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) learning collaborative. The collaborative included 44 healthcare organizations that piloted and evaluated the PSH model from July 2014 through November 2015. Many members of the collaborative…
Early postoperative showers appear to be safe for selected patients
Many patients may be able to safely shower 48 hours after surgery without increasing their risk of surgical site complications, and showering may increase patients’ satisfaction and lower the cost of wound care, a new study finds. Showering after surgery is a controversial issue. Traditionally, postoperative wounds are cleaned with…
Effectiveness of patient choice in nonoperative vs surgical management of appendicitis
Editor's Note When an initial nonoperative management strategy was chosen by patients and families, 3 in 4 children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis avoided surgery at 1-year follow-up, this study finds. Nonoperative management was associated with fewer days of disability, lower costs, and no difference in rates of complicated appendicitis or…
Early results suggest merits of enhanced recovery after surgery
Nurses, surgeons, and anesthesia providers all have one main goal for patients undergoing surgery—a smooth recovery that returns patients to their daily lives as quickly as possible. Some healthcare providers have adopted enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols as a strategy for meeting that goal, and preliminary research suggests merits…
Lower patient satisfaction associated with nurses educated abroad
Many countries, including the United States and United Kingdom, rely on nurses trained abroad during times of nursing shortages. However, little is known about how this practice affects quality of care and patient satisfaction. A new study examines whether patient satisfaction with nursing care in National Health Service hospitals in…
Study: Lower patient satisfaction associated with nurses trained abroad
Editor's Note Employment of nurses trained abroad to substitute for nurses educated at home may negatively impact quality of care, finds this study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia; University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; and Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery at King’s…
CMS approves ambulatory surgery patient experience survey
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved the administration of an Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) Survey. The voluntary survey, which will start in 2016, includes 37 questions that will collect information monthly about a patient’s experience…
Calming words as effective as preop medication to relax patients
Editor's Note A few calming words from an anesthesiologist are as effective as medication in relaxing patients before anesthesia and surgery, finds research presented at the Anesthesiology 2015 annual meeting. Researchers compared conversational hypnosis (ie, talking quietly and positively and focusing the patient’s attention on something other than the upcoming…
Free Daily News
- Study: ERAS protocol reduces opioid use after cardiac surgery
- Study: Prehabilitation reduces surgical complications, speeds recovery
- Commentary: Studies show how surgeon decisions follow the money
- Proposed HIPAA updates would improve cybersecurity, increase costs for healthcare providers
- Study: EMR data can enhance hand hygiene compliance, infection prevention
- Study: Machine learning model improves perioperative pain assessment
- Call for improved suicide risk screening in ASCs aims to strengthen safety protocols
- Study: Perioperative pregabalin reduces risk of kidney decline compared to gabapentin
- Medical school diversity declines after Supreme Court ruling
- Surgeons risk losing ground as transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions rise