ASCs reduce spine surgery costs, maintain quality
Editor's Note A study presented at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons annual meeting found that performing spine procedures in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) can reduce costs while sustaining patient satisfaction scores, Spine Surgery Today reports. Of 1,000 spine procedures performed in an ASC, eight patients had to be transferred to…
FDA: Class I recall of PROFEMUR modular neck prostheses
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on October 2 categorized the recall of PROFEMUR Neck Varus/Valgus CoCr 8 degree, Part number PHAC 1254, by MicroPort Orthopedics as Class I, the most serious. The company has received reports of unexpected fractures after surgery related to this modular neck. If the…
CT screening for lung cancer doesn’t increase unnecessary surgery
Editor's Note The incidence of unnecessary surgery for lung cancer diagnosed with CT-based screening is low (0.30%), this study finds. CT screening for lung cancer in long-term smokers is recommended by experts and is now covered by Medicare and some private insurers. However, there has been concern that wider adoption…
Joint Commission: New Sentinel Event Alert on patient falls
Editor's Note The Joint Commission has issued a new Sentinel Event Alert on patient falls. The alert examines the contributing factors to falls and suggests solutions to be implemented by healthcare organizations to help reduce falls and falls with injury. Any patient of any age or physical ability can be…
Periop infrastructure can overcome weekend effect
Editor's Note Specific hospital resources can overcome the weekend effect seen in urgent general surgery procedures, this study finds. Resources that were predictors for overcoming the weekend effect included: full adoption of electronic medical records, home health program, pain management program, increased RN-to-bed ratio, and inpatient physical rehabilitation. The study…
Clinician perceptions of OR to ICU handoffs
Editor's Note Ambiguous roles and conflicting expectations of team members during OR to intensive care unit (ICU) handoffs can increase risk of patient harm, this study finds. Researchers conducted 38 interviews of clinicians involved in OR to ICU handoffs to characterize the relationship between handoff process failures and patient harm.…
FDA: Cranial perforator automatic clutch mechanism may fail to disengage
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on September 28, issued a safety alert for cranial perforators with an automatic clutch mechanism. Most cranial perforators are designed to automatically stop drilling after penetrating the skull to prevent the tip from unintentionally drilling into the brain. However this clutch mechanism…
HVAC task force issues interim guide for OR, SPD
Editor's Note A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning task force on September 28 issued interim guidance to help health care facilities maintain appropriate temperature and humidity in ORs and sterile processing departments, AHA News reports. The interim guide was developed as the task force is working to achieve consensus on…
Analysis of risk of patient harm during OR to ICU handoffs
Editor's Note Based on their analysis of systems and processes involved in OR to intensive care unit (ICU) handoffs, researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, made recommendations to reduce potential for patient harm. These included automated transfer of OR…
FDA: All compounded products by US Compounding recalled
Editor's Note All lots of sterile products aseptically compounded and packaged by US Compounding have been recalled because of concern by the Food and Drug Administration over a lack of sterility assurance. The sterile products were distributed nationwide between March 14 and September 9, 2015. Posted 09/24/2015] AUDIENCE: Health…
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