Editor's Note Nearly 50 major US health insurers—including UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Elevance, and Humana—have pledged to reform prior authorization practices, with the goal of easing administrative burdens and improving access to care, according to a June 23 article in Healthcare Dive. As detailed in the article, the announcement came from…

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Rockville, MD—June 24, 2025—OR Business Management Summit announced today its 2026 Program Committee—a dedicated, diverse team of perioperative business management leaders with deep experience in operational efficiency, financial performance, and strategic OR leadership. The event will take place February 9–11, 2026, at the Hilton Austin in Austin, TX.  A strategically…

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Editor's Note Recent reporting from Axios reveals hospitals and health insurers are reporting new concerns about rising tariffs and trade policy uncertainty, with the former delaying purchasing decisions and the latter planning premium increases as a result. In the first article, published June 18, the outlet reports that health system…

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Editor's Note New research shows surgical patients in the US face a significantly greater risk of food insecurity than nonsurgical patients, even after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic differences. Findings also point to potential underutilization of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits among surgical patients, study authors write.  …

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued three Class I medical device recalls—the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death—for Q’Apel Medical Inc.’s HIPPO 072 Aspiration System and Cheetah catheter, Fresenius Kabi USA’s Blood Products Administration Set with 200 Micron Filter, and Medline…

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Editor's Note Patients hospitalized with sepsis who have limited English proficiency (LEP) face significantly higher odds of dying in the hospital even after accounting for multiple demographic and clinical factors, according to research presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference by researchers from UC San Diego. Healio reported the…

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Editor's Note Failure to document thoroughly, position patients safely, and follow facility policies are leading causes of malpractice claims against perioperative nurses, according to an analysis published in the AORN Journal on May 28. Although physicians are more frequently named in malpractice suits, nurses are the primary provider responsible in…

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Editor's Note Centerline Biomedical’s recall of IOPS Guidewire ATW-2,  Zyno Medical’s recall of Z-800 series infusion pumps, and Nipro’s recall of MedicaLyte Liquid Bycarbonate Concentrate have been designated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Class 1, the most serious designation indicating risk of severe injury or death.…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission and the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) are partnering to set national standards for responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use in healthcare, according to a June 11 announcement from the organizations. This effort will deliver AI implementation guidance, tools, and a certification program to over 80%…

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Editor's Note Patients earning less than $50,000 annually are significantly less likely to have denied insurance claims reversed compared to wealthier individuals, according to a new study published in Health Affairs and reported by Fierce Healthcare on June 5. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of…

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