Most high-performing ORs share something in common—an anesthesia group that is actively engaged in perioperative leadership, takes responsibility for organizational performance, and is fully invested in the success of the OR. Unfortunately, in many ORs, anesthesia providers focus narrowly on services and procedures, not the total performance of the surgery…

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Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) tend to operate in lean environments, a factor that can impact training and education, whether it’s a refresher for current employees or part of the onboarding process for new hires. Maintaining robust education programs during a global pandemic that has reduced in-person training and imposed restrictions…

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Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up in March to a seasonally adjusted 15,935,300 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on April 2. That’s up 11,500 jobs since February and down 462,100 jobs compared to a year ago. Hospital employment was still down 600 jobs, the…

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Editor's report A new report released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) on March 23 details how the COVID-19 pandemic has created new problems and worsened existing issues at US hospitals, leaving staff frustrated, exhausted, and burned out. Among the problems outlined…

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Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US was down in February to a seasonally adjusted 15,914,500 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on March 5. That’s down 19,900 jobs since January and down 577,600 jobs compared to a year ago. The overall unemployment rate is 6.2%.

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Editor's Note Nurse staffing expert Linda Aiken, PhD, RN, FAAN, testified at the New York State (NYS) Health Committee budget hearing on February 25 about her research on staffing levels in New York State. Among her research findings: Each patient reduction in nurses’ workloads was associated with a 13% decrease…

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Burnout among healthcare workers was on the rise long before 2020, but it has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many healthcare organizations have stepped up efforts to support their staffs. “Maybe 20% of burnout is something an individual can control, but the other 80% is the work…

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The Joint Commission stopped doing most onsite surveys and reviews from March 16 to May 31, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, they developed processes for conducting offsite or virtual events, and as of mid-December, more than 1,200 offsite surveys and reviews had been conducted across…

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Combatting COVID-19 is the top priority of President Joe Biden. On Day 1 of his presidency, he signed numerous executive orders, including one that aims to provide “a unified and effective response” to the crisis and one that mandates mask-wearing and social distancing on all federal properties. His strategy is…

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The end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight, but hospital surgery departments will not likely see a rapid return to normal. Since the start of the pandemic, perioperative leaders have had to stay flexible and act quickly. Over the next 12 months, OR leaders will need to reassess the…

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