Editor's Note Mayo Clinic has released a free, digital tool requiring no account or subscription that allows anyone to investigate healthcare quality by city, care specialty, or hospital, an October 30 press release from the health system reports. The tool includes search capability for a range of specific surgical specialties,…

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Editor's Note Hospitals that succeed in surveys are those that “hardwire safety so you’re not ramping up and down,” said John R. Rosing, MHA, FACHE, executive vice president and principal of Patton Healthcare Consulting. Speaking at the OR Manager Conference, Rosing reminded perioperative leaders, “If we’re really about providing quality…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the launch of a new model using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unnecessary Medicare spending, the agency reported in an October 17 update. The voluntary model will run from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2031, and aims to…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has activated shutdown rules that confine Medicare survey and certification work to health and safety essentials, according to an October 21 memo from the agency. Per the revised memorandum, excepted work during the federal shutdown includes investigations of complaints and…

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Editor's Note Private equity firms are accelerating their push into outpatient cardiology, lured by reimbursement trends and a fragmented market but shadowed by concerns about patient outcomes and financial motives, Modern Healthcare October 16 reports. Investor activity in cardiology has surged alongside the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is enlisting artificial intelligence (AI) to combat wasteful spending, but ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) warn the plan could slow care and increase administrative strain, Ambulatory Surgery Center News October 20 reports. The agency’s new Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR)…

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Editor's Note Telehealth providers are divided over whether to continue serving Medicare patients after reimbursement expired alongside the federal government shutdown, Modern Healthcare October 9 reports. The impasse has forced organizations to weigh patient access against financial risk, with many issuing advance beneficiary notices warning patients they may be responsible…

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Editor's Note Hiring for spinal procedures are tightening and consolidation is accelerating, reshaping where and how ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) secure talent, Becker’s Spine Review October 3 reports. A mounting orthopedic shortage exceeding 5,000 by year-end is making spine one of the hardest specialties to recruit, with timelines stretching and…

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Editor's Note The plan to eliminate the Medicare Inpatient-Only (IPO) List and expand the Ambulatory Surgery Center Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has generated widespread reaction, with more than 3,900 comments submitted during the official feedback period, Ambulatory Surgery Center News September…

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Editor's Note Patient complaints against hospitals have skyrocketed, rising 79% in just 5 years and topping 14,500 in fiscal year 2024, HealthLeaders September 12 reports. The surge reflects not only mounting dissatisfaction with care experiences but also systemic oversight delays that leave concerns unaddressed, fueling mistrust in hospitals. The Centers…

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