Editor's Note Older Americans are at heightened risk for both short-term and long-term hospital readmission following major surgery, according to a study from Yale University published February 28 in Jama Network Open.   Readmission places a major financial strain on health systems, researchers write, pointing out that the total cost…

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Editor's Note Surglogs, a leading regulatory and accreditation platform in the healthcare industry, is partnering with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) in a "strategic collaboration," a March 13 press release reports. This collaboration marks a significant advancement in the accessibility of AAAHC accreditation standards, as they will…

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Editor's Note The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit organization that is behind the biannual Hospital Safety Grades, hopes to assist with patient safety improvements in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) across the US with its latest initiative, NJ Biz March 25 reports. Starting April 1, the Leapfrog ASC Survey will be…

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Editor's Note A team of Johns Hopkins researchers has designed a robot capable of performing the most complex, delicate procedures—including head and neck tumor resection—with accuracy greater than many human surgeons. As reported by the institution on March 18, ASTR: the Autonomous System for Tumor Resection is an autonomous, dual-arm,…

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Editor's Note A simple, two-question survey could help identify patients most likely to develop chronic pain during recovery from surgery or injury and direct them toward proactive, holistic services that reduce reliance on opioids. NEJM Catalyst published the findings on March 20. Conducted by a research team from Duke University,…

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What if a surgeon decided to perform a procedure on a patient that was not totally necessary? It happens more often that one might realize. As recently as August 2023, Forbes published an article that cited a Harvard Business Review report stating that over 50% of lumbar spine surgeries are…

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Next-Gen Disruptors: Technologies Transforming the OR Installment #1, presented by LeanTaaS Surgical procedures are necessary steps in patient journeys—no one wants to have surgery, but most people will need it at some point for care continuity and better quality of life. To best support positive outcomes, optimal recovery periods, and…

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Takeaways From mobile phone apps to immersive virtual reality surgery experiences, digital tools make healthcare training more interactive, more engaging, and more fun for everyone from nurses to surgeons. Modern procedures—including minimally invasive techniques and robotic surgery—require 50 to 100 cases for a surgeon to reach a safe proficiency level…

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Editor's Note Collaboration between Johnson & Johnson and Nvidia could soon enable surgeons to automate documentation by using artificial intelligence (AI) to scan video of procedures. CNBC reported the news March 18. Surgical video scans are just one possible application of the collaboration, with the report noting that “J&J’s MedTech…

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Editor's Note An augmented reality headset provided a scrub team with a detailed, mixed-reality view of a microsurgical spinal procedures to streamline surgery at Cromwell Hopsital in the UK, according to a March 14 report in Fox Business News. The headset, an Apple Vision Pro, was linked to eXeX, described…

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