Takeaways Clinical hours per case is a simple, yet effective, productivity metric. Analysis of productivity measures can include benchmarking against external and internal data. A positive work culture will improve staff productivity. Many health systems rely on external, third-party agencies to deploy nurses and other staff. But when a situation…

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Pain treatments have applications in traditional hospital OR settings and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). “The choice of setting depends on the specific needs of the patient, the type of procedure being performed, and the resources available,” says Wang Lushun, MD, senior consultant orthopedic surgeon at Arete Orthopaedic Centre in Singapore.…

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Most hospitals agree that they can better harness the data they are collecting from registration through discharge in order to streamline patient turnovers, reduce wait times, and improve patient and staff satisfaction, but there is still uncertainty about how best to turn massive quantities of data into better patient outcomes.…

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Staffing crises continue to plague the healthcare industry, but that cannot continue to be the focus of perioperative leaders. That was the poignant message that underscored the attendee experience at the 36th OR Manager Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. After attending the engaging keynotes, numerous breakout sessions, and several networking events,…

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Editor's Note A new report by the Denver-based nonprofit Center for Improving Value in Health Care found that millions are being spent on tests and treatments that have limited value for patient health and well-being, KFF Health News November 13 reports. According to estimates, from 10% to 30% of the…

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Editor's Note Two major hospital systems–Universal Health Services (UHS) and Tenet Healthcare–saw improved third-quarter profits in 2023, but Community Health Systems (CHS) and HCA Healthcare did not see similar upward trends, HealthLeaders November 3 reports.  According to the article, rising demand in services at UHS drove third-quarter earnings up 6.8%…

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Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 58,400 from October to November, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, released on November 3. That is compared to the average monthly gain of 53,000 over the prior 12 months, for a total of 17,123,600 seasonally…

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Editor's Note A new survey from ECRI finds that shortages of medications and medical supplies and equipment are harming patients, the nonprofit organization reported in an October 13 news release. ECRI surveyed nearly 200 pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, procurement specialists, physicians, and nurses in July 2023. Following are some takeaways from…

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Editor's Note The high cost of healthcare is leading many Americans to skip care and forgo medications, according to the 2023 Healthcare Affordability Survey by the Commonwealth Fund published on October 26. Some highlights of the survey include: A large number of insured working-age adults surveyed admitted difficulty affording their…

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ORs are a key revenue driver for hospitals, with surgical services accounting for nearly half of hospital margins. Efficient use of OR time is therefore critical to sustaining and growing hospital revenue and profitability. Perioperative leaders face an ongoing challenge in optimizing OR utilization, however, because of the common mindset…

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