How ASCs ace the AAAHC accreditation survey
For an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), earning accreditation can be more than a mark of excellence. The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) offers Medicare Deemed Status Accreditation, eliminating the need for separate surveys to certify compliance with the Conditions of Participation (CoPs) required by the Centers for Medicare…
How ASCs ace the AAAHC accreditation survey: New handbook, delineation of privileges
Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, How ASCs ace the AAAHC accreditation survey. The posts below cover the latest version of the handbook from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and advice on delineation of privileges. Navigating the new handbook The latest…
Study: Mixed reality system shows promise as alternative to optical neurosurgical navigation
Editor's Note A mixed reality navigation (MRN) system for neurosurgery achieved performance comparable to traditional optical navigation (TON) in certain clinical scenarios, while significantly reducing equipment costs, according to an August 1 study published in BMC Surgery. The MRN system, built around a Microsoft HoloLens headset and infrared tracking tools,…
Nearly half of hospital patient harm events go unreported, OIG reveals
Editor's Note Nearly half of hospital harm events—particularly surgical events—were not captured by reporting systems, according to a July 30 TechTarget report on new findings from the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The OIG report examined 299 harm events experienced by a nationally representative sample of 770 Medicare patients discharged…
CMS’s newly finalized TEAM payment model holds hospitals accountable for entire surgical episodes
Editor's Note As part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) newly issued 2026 Final Rule, the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) will hold hospitals and health systems accountable for the entire episode of care for major surgeries, from admission through 30 days post-discharge. HIT Consultant reported the…
Psychological therapy results vary by intervention in acute pain care, review shows
Editor's Note Psychological interventions such as hypnosis, music therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may reduce acute pain in clinical settings, though statistically significant effects were found only in some studies, according to a July 16 scoping review published in The Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing. Hypnosis was the most adaptable…
Nurse, technician report reveals burnout, underpayment, safety concerns
Editor's Note A recent article from HIT Consultant highlights findings from Incredible Health’s 2025 State of US Nursing & Technicians Report, revealing mounting strain across the nursing and healthcare technician workforce. Reportedly based on insights from more than 1 million professionals, findings include: 71% of nurses report that staffing shortages…
Key tactics for OR emergency readiness: Supply audits, team drills
Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, Emergency preparedness: Identifying essential supplies for unplanned surgical events. While the main article outlines the principles of emergency readiness and supply preparation in the OR, the posts below offer a closer look at two key implementation areas: Supply…
Study: Mental fatigue, missed perioperative care linked
Editor's Note A July 16 study published in BMC Research Notes found that mental fatigue among perioperative nurses is significantly associated with increased rates of missed perioperative nursing care. This cross-sectional study surveyed 385 operating room nurses working in university-affiliated hospitals in East Azerbaijan, Iran. Participants met inclusion criteria related…
Judge orders restoration of deleted federal health data
Editor's Note A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore health-related webpages and datasets removed under a January executive order, according to a July 29 article in Medscape. The ruling follows a lawsuit by Doctors for America and the city and county of San Francisco, which argued that…
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