Joint Commission recognizes Eisenberg Award winners
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on July 22 that the 2019 Eisenberg Award winners were recognized in a virtual ceremony on July 16. The award is given each year by the National Quality Forum and Joint Commission in recognition of the best examples of individual, local, and national efforts…
The Year of the Nurse...and what a year it has been!
Anyone who attends the OR Manager Conference can expect a rich educational experience that will help them be better leaders. In-depth preconference workshops, breakout sessions, and opportunities to explore the latest technology are tailored to provide solutions to the problems all OR managers face. The conference typically ends on a…
Conference builds community in a time of crisis
For decades, the OR Manager Conference has been a highlight of the year. This year, in the tumult of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will offer a welcome change of scene, fresh perspectives, and valuable insights for OR nurse leaders at all stages of their careers. The conference currently is…
Culture, communication, and clinical skills essential for ERAS success
Strategies that can achieve the aims of excellence in clinical care, fewer complications, and reduced costs are sorely needed, and the comprehensive implementation of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program can help achieve these aims in the surgical population. ERAS pathways have been found to reduce morbidity, hospital stay,…
Monitoring implant contracts can save millions of dollars
Orthopedic implants comprise a significant percentage of an OR’s costs, so effectively managing contracts for these items can help OR leaders in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) bolster the bottom lines of their organizations. “The contract is your best mechanism to control the influx of non-anticipated items, resolve overcharges,…
Preoperative protocols enhance outpatient total joint outcomes
On January 1, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began reimbursing healthcare providers for total hip arthroplasty performed in outpatient hospital settings and total knee arthroplasty in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), thereby opening the floodgates for explosive growth in outpatient total joint arthroplasty (TJA). About a million…
Panel issues guidelines for safe resumption of elective orthopedic surgery
Editor's Note An expert panel from the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons on July 15 issued guidelines that include recommendations for when hospitals and surgical centers can resume elective orthopedic procedures. A set of 30 recommendations are presented in four categories: General—includes criteria based on factors, such as…
US House of Representatives moves to expand the use of telehealth beyond COVID-19
Editor's Note Leaders of the US House of Representatives telehealth caucus introduced legislation on July 16 to permanently open up access to telehealth services for Medicare patients, the July 16 Fierce Healthcare reports. The bipartisan bill will eliminate restrictions on use in Medicare patients, and it will provide a bridge…
Admissions to VA hospitals for emergency conditions down during COVID-19 pandemic
Editor's Note This study finds that between March 11 and April 21, nearly 42% fewer patients were admitted to Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, compared with the preceding 6 weeks, including those who had conditions that generally required emergency treatment. The number of patients admitted decreased from 77,624 to 45,155, including…
ACS releases new resources to help prepare patients for surgery delayed by COVID-19
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons on June 3 released new resources to help surgeons and hospitals address patients’ concerns about having surgical procedures that were delayed by COVID-19. The document, “Preparing to have surgery during the time of COVID-19,” includes a patient-surgeon discussion guide with suggested questions patients…
Free Daily News
- Waste-reduction culture, elimination of anesthetic gases slash OR emissions at USC
- Clinicians urged to rethink gynecologic pain management
- Direct-hire international nurses could offer sustainable solution to US shortage
- Healthcare leaders project revenue gains from value-based care despite persistent hurdles
- CMS updates hospital price transparency guidelines
- CDC communication breakdown raises public health risk
- Study: Shorter radiation schedule matches safety of standard prostate cancer treatment
- Poll: Healthcare cybersecurity leaders overlook AI-enabled physical security gaps
- ASC improves hospital efficiency, maintains outcomes despite higher-acuity joint replacement patients
- Hospital support staff cuts raise risk of infection, delays in care