No longer experimental: ASCs adopting peripheral nerve stimulation for chronic pain
When it comes to treating chronic pain—or pain associated with surgery—clinicians are always looking for alternatives to opioids. “There are zero advantages to chronic opioid use,” says Earl Kilbride, MD, MHA, an orthopedic surgeon at the Austin Orthopedic Institute. While the US makes up about 4.4% of the global population,…
Social and behavioral factors emerging as key predictors of recovery quality after surgery
Editor's Note Patients’ social conditions, language, and sleep patterns may play a larger role in surgical recovery than previously recognized, according to three studies presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 annual meeting that took place on October 10–14. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, found patients facing food insecurity…
Fall deaths among older adults have tripled, prescription drugs under scrutiny
Editor's Note Deaths from falls among Americans over 65 have more than tripled in the past 3 decades, raising alarm among geriatric experts and fueling debate about the role of prescription drugs, HealthLeaders September 15 reports. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded more than 41,000 fall-related deaths…
Post-pandemic surge in excess US deaths exposes public health decline
Editor's Note The United States recorded more than 1.5 million excess deaths in 2022 and 2023 alone—avoidable fatalities that would not have occurred if US death rates matched those of other wealthy nations, according to a May 23 article in CIDRAP reporting on a Boston University–led study published in JAMA…
Commentary: Overlooking, underfunding perioperative mental health threatens patients
Editor's Note Amid a lack of focus and lack of resources on perioperative mental health, alleviating patient anxiety and preventing poor surgical outcomes requires creative solutions. This is the central argument of a May 12 commentary in The Conversation by Renée El-Gabalawy, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at the…
CMS vision shifts as agency halts funding for state programs
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will no longer approve federal matching funds for designated state health programs (DSHPs) and designated state investment programs (DSIPs) that are not directly related to Medicaid services. According to the April 10 announcement, the decision aims to preserve the core…
Stem cell researchers tout potential for sickle cell disease cure
Editor's Note A novel stem cell transplant treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD) led to disease-free outcomes for most participants in a clinical trial at a lower cost than gene therapy, according to a February 27 report in Sickle Cell Disease News. The approach, which relies on a less intensive…
Study links intraoperative synthetic opioids, worse postoperative pain
Editor's Note Using powerful synthetic opioids remifentanil and sufentanil during surgery increases risk of patients suffering during recovery, according to a study in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. HealthDay reported the news February 27. According to the article, researchers analyzed data from 971 patients who underwent surgery—37% orthopedic…
Diagnosis delays more likely for EDs with fewer pediatric patients
Editor's Note Emergency departments (EDs) that see more young patients tend to deliver more timely diagnoses than those that see fewer young patients, where diagnosis is more likely to be delayed. The findings appeared February 12 study in JAMA pediatrics. The cohort study examined data from January 2015 to December…
Air pollution tied to hospital admissions for heart disease
Editor's Note Data published February 21 in The BMJ points to air pollution as a factor in increased hospital admissions for major heart diseases. According to the Global Burden of Disease study, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) accounts for 7.6% of total mortality and 4.2% of disability-adjusted life years…
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- NorthStar Anesthesia scales ASC partnerships in Georgia with transparent, clinician-driven model
- Targeted intraoperative radiation slashes pancreatic cancer recurrence to 5%
- Ambient AI reshapes nursing workflows and boosts patient interaction
- Session: Developing a complex spine and total joint service line program in the ASC
- Session: The importance of having a comprehensive plan to prevent workplace violence in ASCs
- Session: Automate to elevate—Streamlining pre-, postoperative processes for better outcomes in ASCs
- Transparent oversight is key to safe surgical innovation
- New patient tool for seeking quality care includes surgery
- Review: Top reasons for perioperative nurse turnover intention
- ASCs look abroad for staffing, but new $100,000 visa fee threatens access to global talent