Editor's Note Most complications of colorectal resection steadily decreased and early hospital discharges increased over 10 years of participation in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP), finds this study presented October 24 at the American College of Surgeons 2018 Clinical Congress in Boston. Of…
Editor's Note Joint Commission Resources on October 24 announced the availability of a new accreditation prep guide specific for surgical settings. “Survey Readiness Guide for Surgical Settings: Standards, Tracers, and Tools” is a self-assessment tool that includes all relevant Joint Commission accreditation standards and provides an overview of the survey…
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on October 23 issued a Safety Communication on the increased risk of corneal haze associated with the Raindrop Near Vision Inlay, which is surgically implanted in the cornea of one eye to improve near vision. The notice is to alert eye care…
Editor's Note Mastectomy patients treated with a new long-acting pain medication were able to be discharged the same day of surgery with a reduced need for opioids in this study presented October 23 at the American College of Surgeons 2018 Clinical Congress in Boston. A total of 100 mastectomy patients…
Editor's Note The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announced October 23 that free informational webinars will start October 29 for hospitals interested in implementing the AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Surgical Care and Recovery for gynecology, colorectal, hip fracture, or joint replacement procedures. The Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute…
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on October 22 announced the recall by Promise Pharmacy (Palm Harbor, Florida) of one lot of Prednisolone and Gatifloxacin Ophthalmic Solution 1%/0.5% sterile, 3 mL vials (Lot Number 09042018@2, Exp 12/03/2018). The recall was issued because the product was found to have…
Editor's Note A treatment protocol that sends patients home after colorectal surgery without any opioids, resulted in shorter hospital length of stay (LOS) in this study presented October 22 at the American College of Surgeons 2018 Clinical Congress in Boston. The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol included: patient education about…
Editor's Note The Leapfrog Group announced October 16 that it would expand its public reporting to outpatient settings. For the first time, Leapfrog will collect quality and safety data on ambulatory surgery centers through a new voluntary survey, and hospital outpatient surgery departments will report data through a new section…
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration on October 15 classified the recall by Endologix, Inc, of its AFX Endovascular AAA System as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the risk of Type III endoleaks. When a Type III endoleak occurs, blood continues to flow…
Editor's Note States with poor access to trauma centers have more deaths before injured patients arrive at the hospital than states with better access, finds this study presented October 22 at the American College of Surgeons 2018 Clinical Congress in Boston. Overall, the largest percentage of trauma deaths occurred before…