Editorial
Projections for healthcare industry trends in 2020 started to proliferate near the end of 2019 as attention turned to the new year. Reflecting on the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) landmark 1999 report, “To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System,” some healthcare leaders said the report has raised awareness…
Reinvent and reap the rewards of improved handoffs--Part 1
A care transition poses a danger point for patients—failing to “hand off” needed information from one clinician to another can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The Joint Commission was so concerned about handoffs that in 2017 it issued a sentinel event alert on the topic. “Handoffs are a safety…
Well-crafted handoff tools save valuable time in OR schedule
In 2017, the Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Alert Event on the problem of inadequate handoff communication, focusing attention on this vital aspect of care. (See related story, p 22.) Clinicians and leaders agree that handoffs are important, but implementing them effectively can be challenging, particularly in the fast-paced perioperative…
Providing cost-benefit analysis for ERAS-related solutions
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery The implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is based on the concept of organizing care around the patient, addressing medical condition needs to optimize readiness for surgery and reducing the likelihood of postoperative complications. Efficacy is measured by how well we perform according to these…
To avoid penalties, know the rules for quality reporting
Keeping up with Medicare’s regulatory and reporting requirements for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) can be as difficult as ensuring physicians arrive to start their cases on time. “Regulations can change frequently,” says Gina Throneberry, MBA, RN, CASC, CNOR, director of education and clinical affairs for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association…
Nurses sleep less before work days than days off, affecting patient care
Editor's Note In this study from New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, nurses were found to sleep nearly an hour and a half less before work days than before days off, affecting patient care and safety. Using data from two surveys of 1,568 nurses collected in 2015 and…
Joint Commission transitioning to CMIP data submission app
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced December 11 that starting January 1, 2020, it will no longer have contracts with ORYX chart-based vendors for accreditation or certification purposes. Hospitals with advanced certification programs must manually enter their performance measure data into the Certification Measure Information Process (CMIP) app on their…
AI and surgical decision making
Editor's Note Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with surgical decision making could transform care by augmenting the decision to perform surgery, informed consent process, identification and mitigation of modifiable risk factors, decisions on postoperative management, and shared decision for resource use, this review finds. Surgical decision making involves hypothetical-deductive reasoning, individual…
AI helps physicians identify cancer cells
Editor's Note Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas have developed a new software tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize cancer cells from digital pathology images, a December 9 UT Southwestern news release reports. The spatial distribution of different types of cells can reveal a cancer’s growth…
UC San Diego opens new Center for Fluorescence-Guided Surgery
Editor's Note The Center for Fluorescence-Guided Surgery at UC San Diego Health is the first in the country dedicated to delivering a new caliber of surgical accuracy that allows surgeons to identify cancerous or critical tissues with GPS-like precision by lighting them up, the December 5 UC San Diego Health…
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