Effect of state legislation in Florida on opioid prescriptions after outpatient surgery
Editor's Note Opioid prescriptions for patients having common outpatient surgical procedures at a large university hospital in Florida were substantially reduced within 6 months after implementation of state legislation limiting the duration of opioid prescriptions, this study finds. Of 1,467 surgical patients included in the study: The proportion receiving opioid…
Is disruptive behavior inherent to the surgeon or environment?
Editor's Note Unclear policies and urgent competing responsibilities in the OR create stress, suggesting that the environment is the primary contributor to disruptive behavior by the surgeon, this study finds. Of 314 reports of disruptive behavior from surgical, medical, and other specialties, which included both the reporter account and involved…
New calculator predicts outcomes for metabolic, bariatric surgery patients
Editor's Note A new surgical risk/benefit calculator that can predict a bariatric/metabolic patient’s possibility of postoperative remission at 1 year for five weight-related comorbidities will soon be released by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced on August 20.…
Postop delirium linked to long-term decline in elderly
Editor's Note In this study, postoperative delirium in patients averaging 80 years old was linked to long-term detrimental outcomes after major orthopedic surgical procedures. Of 130 patients analyzed, 34 developed postoperative in-hospital delirium. Patients with postoperative delirium had a greater decline in activities of daily living at 2 to 3…
Effect of BMI on SSI risk
Editor's Note This study found a trend of increasing risk of surgical site infections (SSIs) for almost all surgery types when body mass index (BMI) increased from normal to morbidly obese. Of 387,919 patients analyzed in the Dutch national surveillance network PREZIES, 1% were underweight, 30% had normal weight, 40%…
You may also be interested in these sessions at the OR Manager Conference this September in Nashville, TN
Perioperative Crossroads: Fostering the “One Team” Philosophy to Improve the Patient Experience
After this session you’ll be able to: Understand the basic principles to apply LEAN Processes (Toyota Production System®) to healthcare., Explain the role of shared expectations between anesthesia, surgeons, and nurses to improve accountability, operational efficiency, and interprofessional relationships. , Identify the barriers to communication between pre-, inter-, and postoperative…
FDA: Class I recall of Teleflex/Sheridan Endotracheal Tubes
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on August 2 identified the recall by Centurion Medical Products of its Airway Kit containing Teleflex/Sheridan Endotracheal Tubes as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the potential for the tube connector to dislodge from the endotracheal tube,…
Study links cancer center affiliation to lower postop mortality
Editor's Note Patients who had complex surgical procedures for cancer at community hospitals that were affiliated with top-ranked cancer hospitals were less likely to die within 90 days after surgery than patients treated at nonaffiliated hospitals, this study finds. Data for more than 14,000 Medicare patients showed 90-day mortality after…
Joint Commission clarifies survey process for telehealth organizations
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced August 7 that the applicability of its Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation standards for telehealth organizations, which provide remote services, deploy in-person staff, and/or have equipment used between patients, is being evaluated. In the meantime, areas of noncompliance related to infection control, equipment and utility…
Patient factors tied to postop opioid consumption
Editor's Note In this study of opioid-naïve patients having major surgery, researchers found a number of patient characteristics associated with greater opioid use in the first month after surgery. Of 1,181 patients analyzed, the following were significantly associated with increased postoperative opioid consumption: younger age nonwhite race lack of college…
NYT: Experts call for single-use, sterilization or redesign of duodenoscopes, bronchoscopes
Editor's Note Contaminated duodenoscopes have transmitted drug-resistant infections to hundreds of patients, and now some experts are urging the Food & Drug Administration to force manufacturers to develop duodenoscopes that can be properly sterilized or single-use duodenoscopes or take duodenoscopes off the market, the August 6 New York Times Reports.…
You may also be interested in these sessions at the OR Manager Conference this September in Nashville, TN
PACU Manager Summit Luncheon & Presentation: ER 101 and 201: Creating Service Line Specific Pathways Through Enhanced Recovery Protocols
After this session you'll be able to: Create a generic Enhanced Recovery Pathway (ERP) as a foundation for an Enhanced Recovery (ER) program. Identifying the process for expansion of ER into multiple service lines. Discuss the need for service line-specific pathways to ensure a sustainable ERP. Why this is important:…
