Prioritizing patient safety unites and empowers OR team—Part 2
Several never events at The Medical Center of Aurora (TMCA) in Aurora, Colorado, over a 1-year period prompted leaders there to launch patient safety first (PSF) initiatives. Part 1 of this series discussed how these initiatives were identified and implemented, and the importance of evidence-based communication tools (OR Manager, March…
Protective garments get makeover in new cleaning protocol
Surgical site infections are multifactorial, and perioperative leaders often struggle with how to reduce or eliminate them. In 2013, after an unexplained increase in surgical site infections (SSIs) among patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty at our facility, we began to investigate the cause. A fairly robust ERAS (enhanced recovery after…
Bacterial contamination of white coats, surgical scrubs
Editor's Note Provider attire is a potential source of pathogenic bacterial transmission in healthcare settings, this review study finds. A total of 22 articles were included in this analysis, which found that provider attire was commonly colonized by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), with white coats laundered less frequently than scrubs. The…
Mortality rates lower in areas with more primary care physicians
Editor's Note Communities in the US with more primary care physicians had lower mortality rates than those with fewer physicians, this study finds. Results showed a: 51.5 day increase in life expectancy for every 10 additional primary care physicians per 100,000 people 19.2 day increase in life expectancy for every…
Joint Commission seeking comments on proposed EP for office-based surgery practices using fluoroscopy
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 20 announced that it is seeking comments on a proposed element of performance (EP) for office-based surgery practices that provide fluoroscopy services. The new requirement−Environment of Care (EC) standard EC.02.02.01−addresses the monitoring of radiation exposure badges. The deadline for comments is March 29.
Joint Commission revises Sentinel Event Alert on diagnostic radiation
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 13 announced the revision of its Sentinel Event Alert on diagnostic radiation, which was updated to also address risks associated with fluoroscopy. The original Alert, “Issue 47: Radiation risks of diagnostic imaging and fluoroscopy was published in August 2011.
Joint Commission announces new Speak Up campaign on infection prevention
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 6 announced its new Speak Up campaign that focuses on ways to prevent infection. The Joint Commission offers free educational resources that include: an infographic poster/flyer an animated video a guide with recommendations on how healthcare organizations can use and provide the materials…
Study: Outcomes with overlapping surgery
Editor's Note This study from a large academic medical center finds that the practice of overlapping surgery does not expose patients to increased risk of negative outcomes. Data on operative procedures from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, were used to compare…
CDC provides first estimates of flu season
Editor's Note New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that so far, during the 2018-2019 season, between 6 and 7 million people have been sick with the flu. Up to half have sought medical care, and between 69,000 and 84,000 have been hospitalized. These estimates…
An undercover hazard: Beware of 'clean' mattresses
A patient is lying on an apparently clean bed or stretcher when blood from a previous patient oozes out of the surface. Clearly, you don’t want to put your patients through that experience. But is your facility doing enough to prevent it? For the second consecutive year, ECRI Institute addresses…
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