FDA issues Unique Device Identification final rule
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 24 published the final rule for its Unique Device Identification (UDI) system to provide a consistent way to identify medical devices throughout their distribution and use. “A UDI system for medical devices is an important step towards increasing patient safety, modernizing postmarket…
Fast action, team coordination critical when surgical fires occur
New information on surgical fires sheds light on risk factors, patterns of injury, and why OR teams need to plan for their occurrence. A May 2013 study led by Karen B. Domino, MD, MPH, is the first to assess closed malpractice cases of surgical fires. Dr Domino, professor of anesthesiology…
Successful vendor/OR partnership yields more than $1 million in savings
An innovative program at The University of Kansas Hospital (TUKH), Kansas City, for managing vendor partnerships has saved the hospital $1.9 million in just 8 months of operation. “We’ve found that pricing and inventory management requires key partnerships with suppliers,” says Brian Dolan, MHSA, CMRP, RHIA, CHDA, SSGB, director of…
OR business managers steadily gaining clout, financial rewards
Business managers have seen a rise in salaries and number of direct reports over the past 5 years, but their overall role remains consistent, according to the 23rd annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. More than a third (34%) of respondents have a business manager on their team. The average annual…
Business managers' skill sets strengthen return on investment
OR Business Performance is a series intended to help OR managers and directors improve the success of their business. Hospitals depend on surgical services to generate more than half their revenue and profit. Yet according to the latest OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, only one-third of hospitals employ an OR business…
APIC guide highlights role of ambulatory care in disaster response
A new publication by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) zeros in on the role of outpatient care facilities in responding to disasters—specifically, how they can prevent infection in their patients, staff, and the community at large. The guide, “Infection Prevention for Ambulatory Care Centers During…
November at a Glance
Much work needed to make hospitals highly reliable To achieve a goal of zero patient harm, hospitals must adopt lessons from high-risk industries, finds a Joint Commission report. The authors say hospital leadership must • commit to the goal of zero patient harm rather than viewing it as unrealistic •…
Stable pattern marks this year's salary survey, but retirement looms
OR directors and managers in hospitals are experiencing stability in their income and in patient volume, according to the 23rd annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Average annual salary in 2013 was $120,000, unchanged from 2012. The average annual raise increased slightly, from 2.8% last year to 3.3% in 2013, but…
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- C-sections linked to longer recovery, higher pain, sleep problems for new mothers
- AI model grades nursing procedures with near-human precision
- Study: Hospitals can safely cut low-value preop tests before routine surgeries
- New studies highlight opportunities to improve pediatric anesthesia safety, comfort
- Social and behavioral factors emerging as key predictors of recovery quality after surgery
- Hospitals being squeezed: Anesthesia workforce gaps, payer cuts threaten surgery access
- CDC layoffs cripple national injury and overdose tracking, leaving prevention efforts in doubt
- The Joint Commission makes nurse staffing a national performance goal for 2026
- Telehealth in limbo: Providers split on continuing Medicare services during shutdown
- States take aim at outpatient facility fees driving higher commercial health costs
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