Offsite sterilization fuels onsite efficiency for lean ASCs
For many in the healthcare industry, imagining surgery without onsite sterile processing seems unthinkable. Then again, performing total joints in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) was unthinkable 10 years ago. ASC sterile processing departments (SPDs) are generally not designed to handle the high volumes of instrument trays, vendor trays, and…
Water quality: 5 Ws and an H for sterile processing pros
Asking who, what, why, when, where, and how—otherwise known as the “5 Ws and an H”— is a time-tested way for writers and researchers to ensure comprehensive coverage of any topic. Here, we apply this framework from the perspective of sterile processing department (SPD) professionals seeking to start a water…
Pilot project takeoff proves promise of AI staff optimization
Perioperative leaders face mounting pressures to optimize resources, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes. However, one challenge stands out among the rest: OR staffing shortages. According to a November/December survey conducted by LeanTaaS in collaboration with OR Manager, staff recruitment and retention is a top priority for OR leaders this…
Studies highlight success strategies for combatting handoff communication failure, care inequity
Editor's Note Recent research sheds new light on addressing two of the most pressing problems for surgical care: handoff communication failures and care bias and inequities leading to adverse—and preventable—events. These problems are the subjects of two separate success stories in the August issue of The Joint Commission Journal…
Immunotherapy’s FDA approval expected to improve lung cancer treatment
Editor's Note The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved immunotherapy durvalumab for perioperative treatment of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to an August 15 announcement. The approval is for durvalumab (Imfinzi, AstraZeneca) in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy as a neoadjuvant treatment, followed by durvalumab alone as…
Study links patient mortality to low nurse staffing, overreliance on temporary hospital staff
Editor's Note A recent study conducted across 185 hospital wards in England highlights the significant impact of nurse staffing levels and staff composition on patient mortality. Published August 19 in JAMA, the study analyzed data from over 626,000 hospital admissions between 2015 and 2020. It found that low staffing levels…
CDC: Pregnancies without prenatal care rise amid declining US birth rates
Editor's Note The percentage of new mothers without any prenatal care is rising amid an overall decline in US birth rates, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NBC News reported on the data August 21. According to the article, CDC’s National Center for…
Antibiotics gaining acceptance as potential alternative to pediatric appendectomy
Editor's Note Evidence is mounting for the use of antibiotics as a valid alternative to surgery for acute appendicitis, including in pediatric cases, the Washington Post reported August 17. The article details how this treatment—described as a “dark secret” by one expert testifying to its use in the 1950s, prior…
California bill seeks stricter oversight of private equity in healthcare
Editor's Note A bill in California that aims to increase oversight of private equity healthcare investments is receiving support from consumer advocates, labor unions, and the California Medical Association and opposition from hospitals worried about losing funding sources, the Los Angeles Times reported August 9. Sponsored by Attorney General Rob…
Physicians group condemns use of live animals for surgical training
Editor's Note An August 6 report in MedPage Today details how the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is pushing to end the practice of using live animals for physiology training. According to the article, some surgical residencies use live animals (usually pigs) as practice patients. In contrast, only 3%…
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- Postop opioid prescriptions following outpatient surgery see steep, sustained fall
- Study: Bariatric surgery offers cost, survival benefits for cirrhosis patients
- AI monitoring, remote surgery advance