Editor's Note An American Hospital Association (AHA) analysis of data from Vizient reveals that hospital performance levels in the first quarter of this year was on par with performance prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite patients exhibiting more significant healthcare needs. Released this month, the report analyzes data from 2019…

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Editor's Note Surgeons used a remote control to perform a magnetic endoscopy on a live pig more than 9,300 km (nearly 6,000 miles) away, Medical Xpress reported August 26. According to the article, researchers at ETH Zurich and The Chinese University of Hong Kong collaborated in the procedure, with the…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum (NQF) announced on September 3 they are now accepting applications for the 2024 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The application window is open until October 29, 2024. The annual awards, which recognize major achievements by individuals and organizations…

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For many in the healthcare industry, imagining surgery without onsite sterile processing seems unthinkable. Then again, performing total joints in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) was unthinkable 10 years ago. ASC sterile processing departments (SPDs) are generally not designed to handle the high volumes of instrument trays, vendor trays, and…

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Perioperative leaders face mounting pressures to optimize resources, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes. However, one challenge stands out among the rest: OR staffing shortages. According to a November/December survey conducted by LeanTaaS in collaboration with OR Manager, staff recruitment and retention is a top priority for OR leaders this…

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Editor's Note Recent research sheds new light on addressing two of the most pressing problems for surgical care: handoff communication failures and care bias and inequities leading to adverse—and preventable—events.   These problems are the subjects of two separate success stories in the August issue of The Joint Commission Journal…

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Editor's Note Evidence is mounting for the use of antibiotics as a valid alternative to surgery for acute appendicitis, including in pediatric cases, the Washington Post reported August 17. The article details how this treatment—described as a “dark secret” by one expert testifying to its use in the 1950s, prior…

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Editor's Note A study published August 6 in the journal Surgery highlights the impact of structured debriefing tools on improving communication and patient safety in the OR during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted over three years, the study implemented a new electronic health record (EHR) module to document surgical debriefings and…

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Editor's Note Hospital performance declined this year compared to last, with more than 60% earning three stars or less in 2024 hospital star ratings from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “This decline might be partly due to the data covering the period from April 2019 to March…

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Editor's Note Automated surgical video analysis could enhance evaluation of an OR team’s nontechnical skills, according to a study published July 31 in JAMA Network Open. Conducted between January 2021 and May 2022, the cross-sectional study involved 30 cardiovascular surgical teams at a teaching hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Using OpenPose,…

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