Our Take In this study, functional capacity to perform activities of daily living was an independent predictor of postoperative mortality within each ASA class, indicating that it should be incorporated into routine preoperative evaluations. The likelihood for mortality was significantly lower for patients who were functionally independent than for those…

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Clearing a patient for surgery is no easy feat, and a completely paper-based workflow can be very inefficient. Switching to a paperless tracking system has cut labor and costs in the preanesthesia screening services (PASS) department at Sinai Hospital, LifeBridge Health, Baltimore, and nurse leaders there hope to integrate the…

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In the months since Ebola patients were first treated in US hospitals, much progress has been made in establishing protocols to protect patients and healthcare workers from harm. Though the number of Ebola patients in the US remains small compared with the thousands in African countries, the disease continues to…

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Postsurgical pain scores are highly correlated with reports of overall patient satisfaction during hospital stays, according to a poster presented at the 2014 American Academy of Pain Medicine annual meeting. Dermot Maher, MD, and his colleagues from Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles examined patient responses on HCAHPS (Hospital…

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With the expansion of Medicare readmission penalties to elective total-knee and total-hip arthroplasty patients in 2014 comes an increasing demand for OR leaders to ensure better postdischarge care. To avoid readmissions, OR management will have to be more proactive about reducing length of stay and complications and providing for care…

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When Mark Katlic, MD, MMM, FACS, descended into the basement of the hospital where he was a resident 30 years ago to satisfy his curiosity, he had no idea that what he found would set him on his career path. Dr Katlic had cared for a few surgical patients more…

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Cancelled surgical procedures at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital (CRMH) in Roanoke, Virginia, are considered a success rather than a failure. “That’s because we cancel procedures for cause,” says Sandy Fogel, MD, FACS. Before 2010, many patients at CRMH were having surgery with undiagnosed, untreated medical problems, and postoperative 30-day mortality…

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Duke University Hospital has had a Pre-Operative Screening Unit (POSU) in place for the past 16 years to optimize patients prior to surgery, but until recently, there were no hard data on surgical cancellation rates. Now, a retrospective analysis has revealed that fewer cancellations occur when patients are seen in…

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The number of elderly people in the US is on the rise, and so is the number of older patients having surgery. However, while advances in technology and techniques may make surgery more feasible for those age 65 and older, ensuring successful outcomes for this cohort is challenging. Specific guidelines…

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OR teams are accustomed to using checklists to keep patients safe during surgery. Could extending presurgical checklists to the physician’s office or clinic produce even better results? The new Strong for Surgery initiative in Washington State is introducing checklists into offices and clinics to help address issues like nutrition, glycemic…

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