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February 2010 See the full issue

Keeping the staffing pipeline open with tighter OR education budgets

The tough economy has meant leaner budgets and fewer OR staff vacancies to fill. But OR leaders know they still face staffing challenges in the years ahead. Eventually, nurses who have been asking for more hours will start to retire. ORs need to keep the pipeline open for new candidates,…

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By: OR Manager
February 1, 2010
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Tweeting, posting, and Yammering: The role of social media in the OR

When a chef at a local café decided to donate a kidney to a work colleague on dialysis, staff at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit saw a public education opportunity. The public followed the donor and recipient surgery on Twitter, and local media covered the event. "It was a good…

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By: Cynthia Saver, RN, MS
February 1, 2010
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Is urinary catheter really necessary?

Indwelling urinary catheters are routinely inserted in surgical patients to reduce postoperative bladder dysfunction that can result from anesthesia, analgesia, and immobility. But the benefits are offset by the risk of a urinary tract infection (UTI) if the catheters are left in place for too long. Do you know how…

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By: OR Manager
February 1, 2010
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Advice on keeping up with C-codes

C-codes, HCPCS, APCs, OPPS, IPPS—OR business managers need to master an intricate and sometimes mysterious set of Medicare regulations in charging for surgical services. In this column, Keith Siddel, MBA, an expert on health care business operations, responds to questions posed by members of OR Manager's OR Business Management Listserv.…

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By: OR Manager
February 1, 2010
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What makes an OR "highly reliable"?

What makes an organization "highly reliable"—able to avoid the rare but serious breakdowns that can have devastating consequences for patients? A highly reliable organization is one that is "exceptionally consistent in accomplishing their goals and avoiding potentially catastrophic errors," notes the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Some familiar…

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By: OR Manager
February 1, 2010
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Keynote to track trends affecting ORs

Which surgical services are likely to grow and which are likely to migrate? What is coming in new technology? If you're adding or renovating ORs, how can you plan for an "OR chassis" that will adapt to changing needs? Fred Bentley, MPP, MPH In the keynote at the OR Business…

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By: OR Manager
February 1, 2010
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In ASC QI studies, try, measure, retry

Last in a series on ASC quality improvement. Like surgical facilities throughout the country, Lakeview Surgery Center is striving to make sure patients who have prophylactic antibiotics ordered before surgery receive them on time. Not only is on-time delivery of antibiotics the standard of care, but Lakeview also wanted to…

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By: Pat Patterson
February 1, 2010
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AAAHC adds infection control chapter to standards handbook

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) can expect noteworthy changes in the 2010 accreditation handbook to be published in February 2010. For the first time in 30 years, a new core chapter is being added, focusing on infection control and safety. The…

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By: OR Manager
February 1, 2010
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