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August 2013 See the full issue

Words of wisdom: OR leaders offer tips for new managers

Surgical services is endowed with a large number of senior nurse leaders. The average age of perioperative nursing managers and directors is 55, and on average, they have been in nursing 30.5 years, according to the 2012 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Nearly half plan to retire by 2020. As ORs…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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Three-part strategy suggested to improve patient throughput

Efficient throughput—difficult to achieve, yet essential to long-term financial success—is a Holy Grail for OR nurse leaders, who spend much time and energy seeking it. Given all the demands of their role, how can leaders best use their time to gain the most benefit from throughput initiatives? One method is…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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Editorial

Data on inpatient and outpatient hospital charges released in May and June by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have fueled the fire started in March with Steven Brill’s Time magazine cover story, “Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us.” Brill cited sometimes staggering amounts charged for…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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Surviving a disaster: Nurses recall Moore's fierce tornado

It had been a busy morning in the OR at Moore Medical Center in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20. By 3 pm, the surgery patients had left the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and gone home. PACU nurses Debra Breshears, RN, and Barbra Barrow, RN, were getting ready to leave when…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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Collaborate with surgeons and vendors to control high-end supply costs

OR Business Performance is a series intended to help OR managers and directors improve the success of their business.   Surgical supplies are a major component of OR expenses. In the July issue of OR Manager, we showed how controlling spending on low- and mid-priced supplies can reduce overall costs.…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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Diligence in coding and charge capture will help prevent revenue loss

With the evolving nature of health care regulations, accurately capturing revenue can be a challenging process for all hospitals. At the OR Business Managers Workshop in April, key concepts about hospital billing, coding, and reimbursement were clarified by revenue expert Keith Siddel, JD, MBA, an attorney with HBL Concepts LLC,…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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Preoperative practices overhauled after surgical checklist failure

Use of the World Health Organization’s surgical safety checklist has reduced surgical complications and mortality, but a narrow escape after a checklist failure at an Italian hospital suggests that more vigilant efforts are needed to avoid errors. In August 2012, an 81-year-old patient with vascular dementia was brought to the…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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Follow protocols when using medications from compounding pharmacies

Compounding pharmacies have long been valued for their ability to tailor prescription drugs for specific patients. More recently, they have helped conserve scarce drugs by redistributing them from larger to smaller single-use vials. For an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) that is not associated with a hospital and therefore has no…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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ASC executives to meet with lawmakers

The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) annually asks members to participate in a “fly-in” to meet with members of Congress to raise awareness about the implications of health care policies. As ASCA vice president of government relations Steve Miller notes, there is nothing like hearing directly from a constituent to…

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By: OR Manager
August 1, 2013
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