Preoperative SGLT2i use does not raise DKA risk in emergency surgery
Editor’s Note Preoperative use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) does not increase the risk of postoperative diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in patients undergoing emergency surgery, according to a study published February 19 in JAMA Surgery. These findings challenge the current FDA recommendation to withhold SGLT2i medications for at least three…
Study identifies potential non-surgical treatment for inguinal hernias
Editor's Note Researchers at Northwestern University successfully reversed hernias in male mice and restored normal anatomy without surgical intervention, according to a February 5 university announcement. The study also found that human hernia tissue shared the same molecular characteristics observed in the mouse model, suggesting a similar biological mechanism. According…
Session: Surfs Up—Rolling Out the OAS CAHPS Survey
Editor's Note In this session, Gail Avigne, MSN, BA, RN, senior consultant, strategic consulting, at Press Ganey Associates LLC, spoke to OR Business Management Conference attendees about the rollout of the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS (OAS CAHPS) survey, which is a mandatory requirement for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in…
Montana legislators' prior authorization reform push mirrors national trends
Editor's Note Montana legislators are moving to restrict health insurers’ use of prior authorization as frustration over the practice mounts nationwide, KFF News reported February 13. The outlet reports that two Democratic and Republican lawmakers have introduced or are drafting bills for the 2025 Montana Legislature to limit these insurer-mandated…
Study: Virtual reality reduces preoperative anxiety in heart surgery patients
Editor's Note Virtual reality (VR) may help older patients manage anxiety before open-heart surgery, according to a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Medical Xpress covered the news February 12. According to the article, researchers found that immersive VR and tablet-based VR significantly lowered anxiety levels, offering a nonpharmacological alternative…
Closing Keynote: Trimming the Sails: Improving Perioperative Efficiency by Managing Same-Day Admission Transitions
Editor's Note Attendees to the 2025 OR Business Management Conference gained new insight with an international flavor from Moustafa Bleik and Fadi Fares, who had flown all the way from Saudi Arabia to detail recent improvements at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. In a session with multiple audience…
Session: Setting Sail—Top 5 Business Trends for Ambulatory Surgery Centers in 2025
Editor's Note In this panel at the 2025 OR Business Management Conference, led by Bob Winandy, MSN, MBA, RN, CEO of Brightside Surgical; Janet Carlson, MSN, BSN, RN, NE-BC, FACHE, executive director of ASCs at Commonwealth Pain & Spine; and Geri Eaves, BSN, RN, CASC, CNOR, CEO and administrator, The…
Research review: Nurse-led preoperative visits reduce anxiety, build trust
Editor's Note Nurse-led preoperative visits significantly reduce patient anxiety by providing structured education, emotional support, and greater trust between patients and caregivers, according to a review published January 21 in the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing. Encompassing 13 studies on nurse-led preoperative visits published between 2000 and 2023, the review found…
Cigna ties executive pay to patient experience
Editor's Note As part of a larger initiative to ease access to care, insurance giant Cigna is tying compensation for senior leadership directly to customer satisfaction. Modern Healthcare reported the news February 3. The shift is part of a multi-pronged approach that also includes overhauling prior authorization requirements and limiting…
Healing healthcare: How clinician incentives can help get from volume to value
Takeaways • Although the central tenets of value-based healthcare have not changed, in many cases implementation has been reduced to little more than reducing costs, to the detriment of clinicians and patients. • The right incentives, such as recognition and work support, can effectively inspire clinicians to deliver high value…
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- Health systems lean toward established partners for AI adoption
- Immigration raids are driving patients back to telehealth and ERs
- Study: Global access to surgery deemed a crisis, leaves 160 million without care
- Large-scale studies link preoperative cognition to delirium risk, reveal its deadly toll after surgery
- Socioeconomic deprivation linked to lower fitness before surgery, UK study finds
- Perioperative medication decisions need individualized risk-benefit approach
- FDA: National IV saline shortage over after years of strained supply
- FDA announces Class 1 recall for Draeger breathing filters
- Hospital CEO departures surge, boards turn to interim leadership
- Study: Attire shapes patient trust, perceptions