Planning for volume growth and adopting best business practices for the perioperative environment were overarching themes at the 2020 OR Business Management Conference (ORBMC) in late January. Leading healthcare industry clinicians and experts offered fresh insights into competing in the burgeoning outpatient surgery market and persuading stakeholders to switch to…

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More than half of respondents to a recent OR Manager reader survey put cost-saving initiatives at the top of their list of important topics, and cost reduction is an ongoing challenge for many OR managers. Leaders at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVH), based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, took a creative approach…

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Technology acquisitions require OR leaders to weigh the competing demands of stakeholders—including physicians, nursing staff, the finance department, and patients—and to make sure they address those demands when justifying a new purchase. “New technology can be what’s needed to keep competitive in the current environment,” says Beth Bozzelli, MBA, RN,…

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Editor's Note The US healthcare industry should prepare for a disruption in the supply chain for disposable medical-surgical devices and high-tech therapeutic and diagnostic products from China amid the coronavirus outbreak, the January 31 Modern Healthcare reports. Data show that devices and diagnostic products from China account for about 3%…

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Editor's Note Cardinal Health is voluntarily recalling 9.1 million potentially contaminated surgical gowns, 7.7 million of which were distributed to 2,807 facilities across the country, the January 22 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The company took the action after learning of unsanitary environmental conditions at a plant in China that manufacturers…

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Editor's Note Royal Philips has issued an urgent field safety notice for its CombiDiagnost R90 GCF fluoroscopy system, the January 10 MassDevice reports. When the tilting feature is used, the device could be locked in a “Table Up/Down” state, an issue that could result in the entry of contrast agent…

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Surgeons often are eager to acquire the newest technology, particularly right after attending a conference with a vendor-packed exhibit hall. How can OR leaders weigh surgeon demands with organizational cost constraints to ensure they meet patient needs while being fiscally responsible? The first step is to acknowledge the complexity of…

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Approximately 5.9 million tons of waste annually comes from the healthcare industry, and one-third of that waste comes directly from the OR. Each year, an increasing number of disposable products are used in the OR. To address this dilemma, an OR recycling performance improvement committee was formed at Massachusetts General…

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Nonprofit hospitals and health systems got a vote of confidence in December 2019 when Moody’s Investors Service revised its 2020 outlook from negative to stable. The report projected an increase in operating cash flows by 2% to 3%. Moody’s says increased reimbursements and higher patient volumes will boost revenue. But…

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Anyone seeking a break from the winter weather and a stimulating educational experience will find both at the 2020 OR Business Management Conference (ORBMC), which takes place January 27-30 in Weston, Florida. The highly relevant and timely presentations, along with networking events that connect OR business professionals with colleagues and…

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