Does it really matter if surgical instruments are submerged in cleaning solution when technologists or nurses scrub them after a case? Is there a reason for the 3-foot separation between dirty and clean areas? Do germs stop at the red line? During the COVID-19 pandemic, much attention has been focused…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission posted a reminder on June 16 that applications for the new Bernard J. Tyson National Award program from The Joint Commission and Kaiser Permanente are open until July 8. The award recognizes healthcare organizations and their partners that achieved a measurable, sustained reduction in one…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on June 16 that the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has launched a new Medication Safety Self Assessment for perioperative settings to gauge how well organizations are doing in protecting surgical patients from medication errors. The new tool, which is for hospitals, ambulatory…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum (NQF), on June 9, announced the recipients of the 2020 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The awards recognize and honor initiatives in three categories: Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality at the National Level—Veterans Health Administration Rapid Naloxone…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s ambulatory surgery center, New York City, finds that remote measurement of patient-reported symptoms after surgery can improve outcomes and reduce postoperative urgent care and emergency department (ED) visits. The researchers developed an electronic platform and alert system, called…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced June 2 that Joint Commission Resources, Inc, (JCR) has launched a new subscription-based Digital Learning Center (DLC) to provide on-demand accreditation and compliance courses and content. In addition to JCR’s digital content, which includes webinars, videos, PolicySource, and digital newsletters and e-books, the DLC…

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Editor's Note Duloxetine was found to be better than placebo for reducing opioid use and was of equal efficacy to placebo for reducing pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), in this study presented at the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine annual meeting, May 13, in Orlando, Florida.…

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Editor's Note The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) issued guidance on May 14 saying that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) mask recommendations for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do not apply in healthcare settings. Healthcare facilities should continue to follow COVID-19 infection prevention…

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Editor's Note The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), on May 18, released a new perioperative medication safety self assessment to help hospitals, ASCs, and other surgery settings evaluate their medication practices and identify challenges and opportunities for improvement. The tool also offers providers a way to document compliance with…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced May 17 that it has extended the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) program data submission deadline from Monday, May 17, to Monday, July 19, 2021. The extension provides ASCs with more time to obtain HARP [Health Care Quality…

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