Regulations/Legal
Staffing solutions depend on collaborative, innovative culture
There is no shortage of advice, opinions, and proposed solutions when it comes to staff shortages, but the issue continues to plague healthcare systems nonetheless. For a couple of years now, speakers at the OR Business Management Conference and OR Manager Conference have been asking attendees, “Who still struggles to…
How perioperative staff can combat human trafficking—Part 1
Human trafficking (HT) is a global public health crisis and one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises that grosses hundreds of billions of dollars annually, all of which are tax-free profits made off the sale of human cargo. And yet, research shows the problem is poorly understood or recognized among…
UnitedHealth Group explores acquisition of Surgery Partners amidst antitrust scrutiny
Editor's Note UnitedHealth Group (UHG) is in early talks to potentially acquire Surgery Partners, the third-largest operator of ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) in the US, according to Bloomberg, Healthcare Finance August 26 reports. Surgery Partners has also attracted interest from private equity firms, including TPG Inc. While no deal is…
Some FDA-recalled medical devices remain in use while manufacturers implement corrections
Editor's Note A 2016 recall issued for the Abbott MitraClip cardiac device highlighted potential safety concerns, but instead of removing the product from the market, Abbott and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed continued use with revised instructions and additional training for doctors. This approach reflects a broader trend…
International study highlights OR waste management strategies, barriers
Editor's Note Effective waste segregation and adopting a circular economy approach can significantly reduce environmental impact of incinerating hospital waste incorrectly classified as hazardous, according to a narrative review published August 19 in the Medical Journal of Australia. However, surgeons' concerns about patient safety and insufficient systemic policies can hinder…
FDA announces Class 1 recall for chest compression devices
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Defibtech, LLC’s recall of RMU-2000 ARM XR Chest Compression Devices as Class 1, the most severe category indicating serious risk of injury or death. A motor issue could stop compressions in adults whose hearts suddenly stop, according to the…
Studies highlight success strategies for combatting handoff communication failure, care inequity
Editor's Note Recent research sheds new light on addressing two of the most pressing problems for surgical care: handoff communication failures and care bias and inequities leading to adverse—and preventable—events. These problems are the subjects of two separate success stories in the August issue of The Joint Commission Journal…
Immunotherapy’s FDA approval expected to improve lung cancer treatment
Editor's Note The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved immunotherapy durvalumab for perioperative treatment of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to an August 15 announcement. The approval is for durvalumab (Imfinzi, AstraZeneca) in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy as a neoadjuvant treatment, followed by durvalumab alone as…
Health systems accelerate ASC partnerships amid shift to outpatient care
Editor's Note As healthcare continues to transition from inpatient to outpatient settings, large health systems are increasingly forming partnerships and joint ventures to develop and manage ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), Becker’s ASC Review August 16 reports. Per the outlet, health systems have historically been hesitant to embrace ASCs due to…
Battery problem prompts FDA Class 1 recall for infusion pumps
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) has classified a recall of ICU Medical’s Plum 360, Plum A+ and Plum A+3 infusion pumps as Class 1, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. According to he agency’s August 20 announcement, the company is updating…
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- How Tampa General Hospital prepared for Hurricane Helene
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- Study: Improved OR design reduces surgery time, enhances efficiency
- Hospital, health system mergers reach new heights
- Algorithm enhances decision-making on intermediate-stage liver cancer surgery, treatment
- Hispanic Heritage Month reports highlight awareness, action on organ transplant disparities
- Medicare policy on prior authorization falls short on shifting outpatient surgery trends
- DEA registration validation changes challenge healthcare accreditation
- CMS proposes $2 Drug List Model to reduce out-of-pocket costs for Medicare recipients
- Algorithm enables continuous forecasting of intraoperative blood pressure