Editor's Note The Joint Commission on July 21 announced new revisions to its Sentinel Event definition and policy that will apply to all accreditation and certification programs, except for Health Care Staffing Services and Integrated Care certification programs, effective January 1, 2022. The revisions clarify expectations regarding an organization’s partnership…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers from the UK finds that insertion and removal of supraglottic airway devices for general anesthesia do not generate aerosols and should not be designated as aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). Working in an ultraclean environment, the researchers used a highly sensitive aerosol detector to measure…

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Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced the release of the second version of its Optimal Resources for Children’s Surgical Care manual on July 14 at the 2021 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. The updated standards include principles on hospital resources, quality improvement and safety processes, data collection,…

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Cancellations of some surgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic and case rescheduling have been a major focus for perioperative leaders. But changes are also occurring in anesthesia practices. For many surgical procedures, the use of regional anesthesia or nerve blocks, coupled with light sedation, is reported to double if the…

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Choosing words carefully to send the message that was intended is a critical skill in the high-stress environment of the OR. Frances Cole Jones, an expert in the nuances of language, will inspire OR Manager Conference attendees to think differently about how they communicate during her keynote address on October…

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Advancements in technology have made it easier to distract children and ease their fears when they are undergoing surgery, but managing this patient population presents unique challenges. To guide parents and children through the surgery experience, leaders at some ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have turned to child life specialists, innovative…

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Editor's Note This study from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a 28.3% decline in monthly addiction treatment initiations. Larger declines occurred in those: without Medicaid coverage (-10.8%) younger than 25 years (-15.6%) who were employed (-11.6%) with dependent living (-11.4%) with…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on July 13, issued a new “Quick Safety Issue 60: Understanding the needs of diverse populations in your community.” To address the health and well-being of diverse populations in US communities, hospitals and medical centers can use the following safety actions and strategies: Requiring leadership…

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Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on July 12 announced their new cross-specialty ACS Quality Verification Program (ACS QVP) at the 2021 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. The program provides the tools for hospitals to have a standardized approach to surgical care for all surgical patients. It is…

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Editor's Note This study from the Cleveland Clinic finds that patient satisfaction with virtual healthcare visits is comparable to traditional in-person visits. Researchers surveyed 426 adult patients who had virtual visits from June 21 to July 12, 2017. Among the findings: 92.9% believed their virtual visit clinician was interested in…

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