Uncategorized Editor's Notes Sherry Rogers, director of robotics at Emory Healthcare, identified key elements for establishing operational excellence in robotic surgery during this breakout session on the last day of the conference. Rogers noted the practices and procedures she and her colleagues apply to Emory’s robotics program that have helped them…
Editor's Note “Is your OR ready for a DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration] inspection?” was the question Dennis Wichern, MBA, partner at Prescription Drug Consulting, asked attendees of this breakout session. As a retired DEA agent, Wichern discussed the ways the DEA has been involved in the medical field, specifically pertaining…
Editor's Note Only 26 states require the reporting of surgical site infections (SSIs) to either the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) or the state, Lisa Berus, MSN, MEd, RN, CAIP, CNAMB, CASSPT, senior director at SCA Health, explained in this two-part breakout session.…
Editor's Note: Originally published in 2022, this session recap remains highly relevant as OR leaders continue to face renovation projects amid shifting technology, staffing demands, and infrastructure renovation needs. We have resurfaced it as part of our ongoing focus on capital planning and perioperative design—even years later, the fundamentals still…
Editor's Note In this workshop, one thing was made clear from the get go: “SPD [sterile processing department] is the key to success for the OR,” said W. Zeh Wellington, DNP, RN, NE-BC, director of procedural care and surgical services at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.…
Editor's Note Small steps can be taken to improve the comfort and care of patients, especially those who identify with the LGBTQ+ community. In Part 2 of this workshop, Ellen Cleary, BSN, RN, MBA, vice president of operations at Northwestern Health System, explained that her organization goes above and beyond…
Editor's Note On October 12, The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced in a press release that they will award $110 million in grants to improve healthcare facilities in rural areas. This Emergency Rural Health Care Grants Program is made available through the Biden-Harris Administration’s American Rescue Plan…
Editor's Note On October 12, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines, Bivalent, to authorize their use as a single booster dose in younger groups, Health Purchasing News October 12 reports. The Moderna vaccine is now authorized for…
Editor’s Note A report published in Health Affairs on October 6 claimed that up to 30% of healthcare spending is used for administrative purposes, and more than half of that is not significantly contributing to health outcomes, Becker’s Hospital Review October 10 reports. In 2019, Health Affairs launched the Council…
Editor's Note Burnout in the healthcare workforce is a significant challenge hospitals and healthcare systems face, and a September 27 webinar hosted by US News and World Report tackled the many efforts hospital leaders are undertaking to address it. Among the various reasons cited as contributing to the problem—including rising…
