Communication breakdowns in the perioperative environment are a factor in 70% of events that adversely affect patients. Sometimes those breakdowns occur because OR staff are reluctant to voice their concerns in an environment that is hierarchical and intimidating. However, when an organization adopts patient safety first (PSF) initiatives, adverse outcomes…

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Editor's Note Using Fitbit activity monitors to improve assessment of daily ambulation, this study found that each step taken towards 1,000 steps the day after major surgery resulted in significantly lower odds of a prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS). This analysis of 100 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los…

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Editor's Note In this study, complication rates and Medicare payments were significantly lower for high-risk surgical patients treated at local high-quality hospitals. Analyzing elderly Medicare patients having any of four elective inpatient surgical procedures between 2012 and 2014, researchers found that one-fourth of high-risk patients had surgery at a low-quality…

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Editor's Note An automated text messaging system increased patient engagement with home-based exercise and promoted faster recovery after knee and hip replacements, this study finds. In this analysis of 159 patients (83 controls, 76 intervention) having total knee or hip replacement surgery, those receiving timely texts showed improvement in the…

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Editor's Note ICU readmission risk for surgical patients can be predicted using a simple, clinical nomogram based on seven demographic and physiologic variables, this study finds. Of 3,109 patients admitted to the ICU by general surgery, transplant, trauma, and vascular surgery services, there were 141 (5%) unplanned readmissions within 72…

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Editor's Note Education of surgical interns on postoperative analgesia was effective in preparing them for judicious opioid prescribing, this study finds. An education session on postoperative analgesia prescribing was presented to 31 incoming surgical interns by surgical residents. Before the education session was started, few interns felt comfortable prescribing opioids…

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Editor's Note No significant difference was found between endoscopic and open vein–graft harvesting in the risk of major adverse cardiac events, in this study. This analysis of 1,150 patients in 16 Veterans Affairs cardiac surgery centers found that during a median follow-up of 2.78 years, the primary outcome of a…

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Perioperative leaders, including those in the sterile processing department (SPD), need to know when to make sweeping—not just incremental—changes to improve workflow and optimize the talents of their staff. Sometimes gains in productivity and staff satisfaction depend not only on identifying process improvements but also on placing staff in areas…

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Editor's Note Harmful medical errors decreased by nearly 38% after implementing a program to improve communication between healthcare providers, patients, and families, finds this study. A total of 3,106 pediatric patient admissions in seven US hospitals, 2,148 parents or caregivers, 435 nurses, 203 medical students, and 586 residents were involved…

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Editor's Note The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on November 28 issued a draft strategy to reduce administrative and regulatory burdens caused by electronic health records (EHRs) and health information technology (health IT). The draft “Strategy on Reducing Regulatory and Administrative Burden Relating to the Use of Health…

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