Editor's Note Recent legislative efforts in Florida and Mississippi aim to expand the authority of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with measures that would remove supervisory requirements and allow independent practice for certain nurse practitioners. The efforts underscore an ongoing, nationwide debate over the role of APRNs in addressing provider…

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Editor's Note Implementing a multimodal analgesia-based enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol significantly reduced both intraoperative opioid administration and postoperative opioid prescriptions in cardiac surgery patients, according to a January 5 report in Anesthesiology News. The findings were presented at the 2024 International Anesthesia Research Society meeting by Montefiore-Einstein Center…

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Editor's Note Analysts say proposed tariffs on imported goods could increase costs for approximately 75% of medical devices marketed in the United States, 69% of which are manufactured solely abroad, according to a January 20 article in Medical Product Outsourcing. Valued at $197.8 billion in 2023, the US medical device…

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Editor's Note New infection control recommendations from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine) are purportedly the first comprehensive guidelines tailored specifically for regional anesthesia and interventional pain management procedures, such as cortisone injections and drug-delivery implants.   As detailed in the organization’s January 21…

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Editor's Note In a January 9 episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA President Mark Wainner engaged Alfonso del Granado, MBA, FACHE, CASC, an ASCA Board member and administrator of Covenant High Plains Surgery Center in Lubbock, Texas, in a discussion focusing on the pressing issue of anesthesia provider…

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Editor's Note Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield recently reversed its controversial plan to impose time limits on anesthesia coverage after intense backlash from the medical community, including anesthesiologists and patient advocates. The policy, aimed at curbing alleged overbilling, would have restricted payments based on average surgery times, a move critics…

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Editor's Note Efforts to reduce the risk of postoperative delirium in older patients should focus on preoperative evaluation, anesthesia choices, and medication management, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). Designed specifically for treating adults aged 65 and older undergoing inpatient surgery, these new, evidence-based recommendations are presented in…

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Editor's Note We’ve raised the bar—for the first time in 13 years, the OR Business Management Conference will feature a dedicated lineup of content specifically for ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders. Join an intimate gathering of ASC administrators, directors, and C-suite executives to dig deeper into financial, operational, and strategic…

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Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) commended Anthem's reversal of a policy to deny anesthesia payment based on arbitrary time limits, which was set for February 2025 in three states. “The now-rescinded policy was inconsistent with prevailing standards, regulations and billing norms, and revealed a diminished dedication to…

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Editor's Note A recent report in Becker’s Hospital Review illuminated health systems’ efforts to address physician shortage by integrating advanced practice providers (APPs) into care models. Citing projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Becker’s noted that nurse practitioners (NPs) “are the fastest-growing occupation in the country, with employment in…

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