Joint statement provides guidance for maintaining essential surgery during COVID-19 pandemic
Editor's Note Four national organizations have released a joint statement on maintaining essential surgical procedures as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) reported on August 13. The joint statement from the ACS, American Society of Anesthesiologists, AORN, and American Hospital Association, provides a list of principles…
Delays in breast cancer surgery because of COVID-19 do not appear to be life-threatening
Editor's Note A longer time from diagnosis to surgical treatment because of the COVID-19 pandemic did not lower overall survival of women with early-stage breast cancer, this study finds. In this analysis of 379,000 patients, surgical delays of more than 120 days were associated with change to a higher cancer…
American Heart Association warns of cardiovascular risks of marijuana use
Editor's Note In a Scientific Statement, the American Heart Association (AHA) says marijuana use has no cardiovascular benefits and that it has been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Though a full understanding of how marijuana use affects the heart and blood vessels…
ACS opposes proposed Medicare physician fee schedule
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on August 4 announced that it is strongly opposed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for CY 2021. In the fee schedule, which is set to take place January 1, 2021, Medicare payments will…
US News publishes 2020-2021 top hospitals list
Editor's Note US News & World Report on July 28 released its 2019-2020 Best Hospitals Honor Roll. The top five are: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Cleveland Clinic Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, New York City, and UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles (tie) Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston…
Nimble response required to combat COVID-19 surges
Spikes in coronavirus cases starting in late June threatened to overwhelm hospitals in several states. Utah is one such state, but steps previously taken at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City suggest the 23-hospital system will be able to manage a surge. Leaders at Inova Health System in Falls Church,…
Editorial
Healthcare facilities in recent months have been catching up on case backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But new infection surges in several states have overwhelmed some hospitals, leading to renewed bans on elective procedures in Texas and Florida as of early July. The higher rates of infection are attributable…
Culture, communication, and clinical skills essential for ERAS success
Strategies that can achieve the aims of excellence in clinical care, fewer complications, and reduced costs are sorely needed, and the comprehensive implementation of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program can help achieve these aims in the surgical population. ERAS pathways have been found to reduce morbidity, hospital stay,…
Monitoring implant contracts can save millions of dollars
Orthopedic implants comprise a significant percentage of an OR’s costs, so effectively managing contracts for these items can help OR leaders in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) bolster the bottom lines of their organizations. “The contract is your best mechanism to control the influx of non-anticipated items, resolve overcharges,…
Preoperative protocols enhance outpatient total joint outcomes
On January 1, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began reimbursing healthcare providers for total hip arthroplasty performed in outpatient hospital settings and total knee arthroplasty in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), thereby opening the floodgates for explosive growth in outpatient total joint arthroplasty (TJA). About a million…
