Tag: Process improvement

Suicide Prevention Month: Hospitals prepare for new The Joint Commission suicide prevention goal, effective 2026

Editor's Note Hospitals will soon face stronger accountability for suicide prevention, as The Joint Commission prepares to implement “National Performance Goal (NPG) 8” on January 1, 2026, its September 3 news update reports. The goal, titled “The hospital reduces the risk for suicide,” replaces current requirements under “National Patient Safety…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
September 3, 2025
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OR leaders must sharpen questions, partnerships as AI reshapes perioperative care

Editor's Note Artificial intelligence (AI) will not replace perioperative leaders, but it will demand sharper decision-making, closer collaboration, and thoughtful staff engagement, OR Manager coverage reports. AI is poised to transform perioperative practice, yet its value depends on how leaders choose, evaluate, and integrate these technologies. Key insights the article…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
September 2, 2025
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CMS plan to phase out inpatient only list sparks debate over safety for vulnerable patients

Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is moving to eliminate its Inpatient Only (IPO) List over the next 3 years, a decision that could permanently shift more surgical procedures from hospitals to outpatient settings. According to an August 24 article from Fierce Healthcare, the policy promises…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
September 2, 2025
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Hospitals can curb costly post-acute discharges with targeted periop programs, study finds

Editor's Note One in 10 older adults and one-third of the highest risk patients are discharged to post-acute care facilities after major surgery, driving up costs and worsening outcomes. According to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in an August 25 release on a Journal of the American College of…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 27, 2025
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Expert lessons on building successful total joints programs in ASCs

By 2022, orthopedic procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) were already outpacing expectations. For years, total hip and knee replacements were considered too complex for same-day surgery. Yet, total joints replacement volumes jumped nearly 200% between 2020 and 2022—outpatient total knee arthroplasty surged nearly 194%, while total hip arthroplasty…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 26, 2025
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Cryo nerve ablation cuts pain, narcotic use after heart surgery

Editor's Note A freezing technique applied during heart surgery is reducing pain, shortening recovery times, and minimizing the need for narcotics, News 9/CBS News August 13 reports. The procedure, called cryo nerve ablation, involves freezing nerves around the ribs to block pain signals for about 60 days. The nerves eventually…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 25, 2025
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Study finds no link between long-standing preprocedural fasting and aspiration pneumonia risk

Editor's Note Loosening fasting policies before surgery does not increase the risk of post-surgical aspiration, also known as aspiration pneumonia, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Surgery in August 2025. The researchers analyzed 17 studies published between 2016 and 2023, including randomized clinical trials and…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 25, 2025
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Comfort, targeted nursing speed recovery in colorectal surgery patients

Editor's Note Pairing comfort nursing with targeted surgical care improves recovery, reduces pain, and enhances satisfaction for colorectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, according to an American Journal of Managed Care August 18 article covering a study published in Annali Italiani di Chirurgia. As detailed in the article, the researchers…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 21, 2025
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2026 ICD-10 updates bring hundreds of new codes, new complexity

Editor's Note Healthcare providers, payers, and analytics teams face sweeping ICD-10 changes this fall, with the 2026 code updates taking effect October 1, 2025, Wolters Kluwer July 14 reports. The release includes 614 new codes, 12 invalidations, 642 billability changes, 88 terminology revisions, and the creation of an entirely new…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 21, 2025
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Standardized pathways cut costs, hospital days in pediatric surgery without raising complication rates

Editor's Note Standardized perioperative protocols can reduce hospital stays and costs for children undergoing surgery without affecting complication rates, JAMA Surgery August 20 reports. As detailed in this original investigation, the researchers evaluated the Minimizing Variance in Pediatric Surgery (MViPS) program, a fellow-led initiative launched in 2013 across two academic…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 20, 2025
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