Editor's Note An artificial intelligence (AI) tool is showing significant promise in reducing the administrative workload for nurses and clinical partners on a 48-bed surgical unit at Cedars-Sinai, according to a February 12 Cedars-Sinai Newsroom Q&A with Rachel Coren, MPH, MS, vice president and associate chief information officer, and Peachy…

Read More

Editor's Note Researchers at Northwestern University successfully reversed hernias in male mice and restored normal anatomy without surgical intervention, according to a February 5 university announcement. The study also found that human hernia tissue shared the same molecular characteristics observed in the mouse model, suggesting a similar biological mechanism. According…

Read More

Editor's Note While fewer rural hospitals are operating at a loss than last year, more are now at risk of closure, according to a new report from Chartis. Fierce Healthcare reported the news February 13. As detailed in the article, the analysis found that 46% of rural hospitals are operating…

Read More

Editor's Note In this session, Deb Yoder, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, CASC, vice president of facility development, Compass Surgery Partners, provided a comprehensive overview of selecting, implementing, and managing service lines in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) while considering factors such as block time utilization, staff readiness, equipment needs, financial viability,…

Read More

Editor's Note The OR Business Management Conference this year for the first time offered a lineup of sessions that was fully dedicated to content relevant to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). In this session, Collin Pick, MSN, CRNA, ARNP, CMPE, chief of anesthesia, Physician Partners of America, explored the ongoing anesthesia…

Read More

Editor's Note In this session, Gail Avigne, MSN, BA, RN, senior consultant, strategic consulting, at Press Ganey Associates LLC, spoke to OR Business Management Conference attendees about the rollout of the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS (OAS CAHPS) survey, which is a mandatory requirement for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in…

Read More

Editor's Note Montana legislators are moving to restrict health insurers’ use of prior authorization as frustration over the practice mounts nationwide, KFF News reported February 13. The outlet reports that two Democratic and Republican lawmakers have introduced or are drafting bills for the 2025 Montana Legislature to limit these insurer-mandated…

Read More

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…

Read More

Editor's Note Only humans should be called nurses, argues Oregon State Representative Travis Nelson, a Portland Democrat and practicing nurse who recently introduced new legislation aiming to prevent the title from applying to artificial intelligence (AI) or any non-human entity. As detailed in a February 4 report from Nurse.org, House…

Read More

Editor's Note Patients aged 50 to 70 undergoing heart valve replacement may benefit from mechanical valves over biological ones, according to a new study from the University of Bristol. Healthcare-in-Europe.com reported the news February 13. As detailed in the article, short-term outcomes between the two options were similar. However, mechanical…

Read More