Surgical site infections (SSIs) not only harm patients, but also can squeeze a hospital’s bottom line through increased costs and reduced reimbursement. Patients undergoing colorectal surgery are particularly at risk for SSIs, according to data from the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), but an effective multidisciplinary team and an evidence-based…

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Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major cause of morbidity in surgical patients, leading to increased length of stay and healthcare costs. No single intervention has demonstrated efficacy in reducing SSIs. When SSIs rose to a rate of 16.3% in 2013 at St Elizabeth Boardman Hospital in Boardman, Ohio, perioperative…

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Increasing costs and shrinking margins have continued to pressure business managers and senior hospital leadership to rethink strategies for raising surgeons’ awareness of product and nonlabor costs within the OR. Often providers are asked to cut costs but are unaware of the actual costs of the products they use. In…

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Like a football team gathering to confirm tactical details before a play, surgical staff often form a huddle to ensure readiness of the providers, patient, and equipment for the upcoming procedure. In a twist on the traditional huddle the day before surgery, staff at the Hospital of Central Connecticut (HOCC)…

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Editor's Note Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) fell 21% (3.1 million) between 2010 and 2015, saving nearly 125,000 lives and $28 billion in health care costs, according to a December 12 report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Among the findings: Adverse drug events were down 42.3%. Pressure ulcers…

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Editor's Note Mount Sinai Health System (New York City) on December 6 announced its Medical Modeling Core, a collaboration led by the neurosurgery department, where clinicians can order 3D models for their cases. Virtual reality, simulation, and 3D printing services will be provided with quick turnaround times and at significant…

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Editor's Note Communication patterns and needs vary between members of the surgical team and by specialty during simulated operative emergencies, and the effect of directed communication in eliciting a response (ie, closed loop communication) depends on the clinical status of the patient, finds this study. Surgeons and nurses initiated fewer…

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Editor's Note Implementation of a frailty screening initiative for preoperative patients was associated with reduced mortality, this study finds. In 9,153 patients screened, postoperative mortality decreased significantly at 30, 180, and 365 days, and improvements were noted in both frail and nonfrail patients. Multivariate analysis showed a three-fold survival benefit…

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Editor's Note Total hip outcomes such as pain, function, range of motion, and strength are different for men and women, which could lead to gender-specific rehabilitation programs, finds this study presented November 9 at the 2016 ACR/ARHP [American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals] Annual Meeting. Researchers from the…

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Comprehensive surgical patient care models are associated with better outcomes, according to studies presented at Anesthesiology 2016 in October. In a study of 1,356 patients undergoing total knee, hip, or shoulder joint replacement surgery, pain management and communication between patients and physicians improved when care was based on the perioperative…

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