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October 2015 See the full issue

Surgical staff tackle CAUTIs with refined techniques

Urinary tract infections are the most common type of healthcare-associated infection reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Healthcare Safety Network. Of urinary tract infections acquired in the hospital, approximately 75% are associated with a urinary catheter. With the increased scrutiny of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)…

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By: OR Manager
October 28, 2015
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Front-line staff input helps build a better EHR system

Electronic health records (EHRs) are here to stay, but implementation and optimal use are still lacking. Respondents to the 25th annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey identified many issues, including the amount of time it takes to document in an EHR, lack of integration with other systems, physicians not fully using…

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By: OR Manager
October 28, 2015
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Editorial

Rooms filled to capacity, an expansive exhibit hall with a complete hybrid OR, and interactive sessions led by a stellar group of speakers were hallmarks of the 2015 OR Manager Conference in Nashville. Uniformly positive comments from attendees suggest this conference was one of the biggest and best in its…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
October 28, 2015
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Hospitals with high readmission rates penalized for the patients they serve

Clinical and social characteristics not included in Medicare’s current risk-adjustment methods explained much of the difference in readmission risk between patients admitted to hospitals with higher versus lower readmission rates, a study finds. The Medicare Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program penalizes hospitals with higher than expected 30-day readmission rates by reducing…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
October 28, 2015
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Researchers identify ways to reduce UTI rates

Three new studies on reducing urinary tract infections (UTIs) were reported at the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) conference in July. Researchers identified several process changes that, once implemented, brought down infection rates. Each study and its findings are described below.   The S.T.O.P.…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
October 28, 2015
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Business managers: A small population with a big impact on quality and efficiency

The role of business manager continues to grow in teaching, but not community, hospitals, according to the 2015 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Fewer than a third (29%) of OR leaders report that their hospital has a business manager, and 70% of those managers work in teaching hospitals. Other highlights from…

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By: OR Manager
October 28, 2015
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Lean makes a clean sweep of the OR

Reducing room turnover time is a goal in many surgical services departments, and refining the cleaning process is one path to success. Implementing a Lean process improvement at our hospital helped us not only meet but exceed our targets for room cleanliness and cleaning time. A 73% average rate of…

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By: OR Manager
October 28, 2015
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Zones establish structure and routine for OR setup

Learning to circulate can be overwhelming and intimidating for new nurses. They may learn two or three different ways to set up a room, on two or three different days, from two or three different preceptors. Having a consistent, systematic way to set up an OR can help relieve the…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
October 28, 2015
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Surveyors reveal how to get credit for credentialing

Credentialing of physicians and other independent practitioners is facing increased scrutiny from surveyors, professional associations and, in some cases, the public—not necessarily because of compliance failures but because healthcare legislation and technology improvements have made the process a conversation topic. Thus it may be a good time to review the…

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By: Paula DeJohn
October 28, 2015
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OR team uses evidence-based practices to reduce readmissions

Concerted efforts to reduce readmissions have paid off at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia. Among its bragging rights since launching an initiative last year: decreased length of stay for colorectal surgery patients and a downward trend in readmissions. To learn how they did it, OR Manager spoke with…

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By: OR Manager
October 1, 2015
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