Centralized sterile processing cuts costs, complexity for four ASCs
Once limited to hospital inpatient settings, total joint surgery is increasingly common at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) across the US. What is not so common is performing these complex procedures without the benefit of an onsite sterile processing department (SPD). And yet, that is exactly what we have accomplished at…
Study: Clean paper towels match or exceed sterile options in surgical hand antisepsis
Editor's Note A study published July 9 in the American Journal of Infection Control found that clean paper towels are as effective—and in some cases more efficient—than sterile alternatives for surgical hand antisepsis. The results support their use as a cost-saving and safe alternative to sterile hand-drying products in surgical…
Survey: Drug shortages impact hospital labor costs
Editor's Note Hospitals spent nearly $900 million in labor last year managing drug shortages, dedicating over 20 million hours to activities such as sourcing alternatives, updating systems, and communicating with care teams, according to a new Vizient survey published June 17. Conducted in late 2023 and detailed in Vizient’s June…
Tariffs stir uncertainty in hospital supply chains, health insurance premiums
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…
Federal grant cuts threaten hospital disaster readiness
Editor's Note Eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) key disaster preparedness grants could weaken hospital infrastructure and jeopardize care during future crises, according to a May 5 report in Modern Healthcare. As detailed in the article, the Trump administration has cut $3.3 billion in annual funding by ending the…
Medtech giants move fast to blunt tariff impact without raising prices
Editor's Note Medtech companies are scrambling to contain the financial damage from rising tariffs without passing costs onto hospitals, according to a May 2 report in Modern Healthcare. Executives from industry leaders including Johnson & Johnson, GE HealthCare, and Intuitive Surgical outlined mitigation efforts during recent earnings calls, with most…
ASCA 2025: How accounting becomes an ASC revenue generator
Editor's Note Terry A. Bohlke, MSHA, CPA, CMA, CASC, emphasized that Rocky Mountain High Surgery Center is a pseudonym “to protect the innocent,” but the numbers he presented at the 2025 Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) Conference & Expo in Denver last week were real enough. Based on actual scenarios…
Proactive strategies help healthcare supply chains withstand tariff pressures
Editor's Note Tariffs on medical equipment and supplies continue to climb—a situation that calls for action on the part of healthcare organizations, according to an April 23 article from nonprofit safety organization ECRI. The article highlights ten proactive steps organizations can take to protect both care quality and the bottom…
Survey: Tariffs expected to increase hospital costs, disrupt supply chains
Editor's Note Rising tariff-related costs are expected to significantly impact hospital budgets and healthcare supply chains, according to a March 27 report in Becker’s Hospital Review. The article focuses on a recent survey conducted by Black Book Market Research in January before the US enacted 25% tariffs on Canadian and…
Bipartisan bill would expand presidential trade authority over medical goods
Editor's Note The bipartisan Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act would grant the president expanded authority to negotiate trade deals and modify tariffs on medical goods, according to a March 14 report from Fierce Healthcare. The bill, backed by pharmaceutical and healthcare industry groups, aims to strengthen the US medical supply…
Free Daily News
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- Hospital CEO departures surge, boards turn to interim leadership
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- 5 costly mistakes to avoid when building an ASC