New patient tool for seeking quality care includes surgery
Editor's Note Mayo Clinic has released a free, digital tool requiring no account or subscription that allows anyone to investigate healthcare quality by city, care specialty, or hospital, an October 30 press release from the health system reports. The tool includes search capability for a range of specific surgical specialties,…
Senator pushes for national nurse-to-patient ratios, sounds alarm on patient safety
Editor's Note Senator Bernie Sanders and nurse leaders are demanding immediate federal action to address what they describe as a national nurse staffing crisis that is driving moral distress among nurses and putting patients at risk, Nurse.org October 27 reports. A US Senate HELP Committee hearing spotlighted compelling testimony from…
Advances in ambient AI bring precision to OR performance
Pinpoint accuracy in surgical technique has advanced beyond what many ever thought possible. Unfortunately, such refinements have been slower to reach the perioperative business front. OR leaders often rely on vague metrics and educated guesses to guide their teams. Ambient artificial intelligence (AI) is changing that. When integrated with data…
Session: Helping leaders uphold accountability, cultivate a positive culture to boost nurse retention
Editor's Note Hold everyone to the same standard, model the behavior you expect, and build trust through transparency—that is how OR leaders retain nurses and improve performance, according to this session’s panel that included Taneka Curtis, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, nurse manager-cardiac, transplant and vascular service lines, Hospital of the…
Your playbook for OR wins is in Anaheim
Editor's Note Lock in system-level wins fast. The 2025 OR Manager Conference is right around the corner (October 28–30 in Anaheim, California), and it is loaded with how-to sessions that turn ideas into throughput, revenue, and workforce results you can bring home in Q4. This year’s agenda centers on pragmatic,…
Social and behavioral factors emerging as key predictors of recovery quality after surgery
Editor's Note Patients’ social conditions, language, and sleep patterns may play a larger role in surgical recovery than previously recognized, according to three studies presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 annual meeting that took place on October 10–14. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, found patients facing food insecurity…
Hospitals being squeezed: Anesthesia workforce gaps, payer cuts threaten surgery access
Editor's Note Hospitals are bracing for service reductions as anesthesia staffing shortages collide with reimbursement cuts, Modern Healthcare October 14 reports. Executives and staffing experts see mounting financial strain that could limit patient access and stall growth plans, with rural facilities most exposed. As detailed in the article, systems continue…
ASCs surge as hospitals and investors chase outpatient growth
Editor's Note Hospitals, physicians, and private equity are accelerating their push into lower-cost outpatient care. According to Colliers US Healthcare Services Research Report Q3 2025, published on September 22, ambulatory surgery center (ASCs) procedure volumes are projected to grow 9% between 2023 and 2028—outpacing hospital outpatient department growth at 7%—and…
Nearly half of US physicians now work for large systems: GAO links consolidation to higher costs
Editor's Note Physician independence continues to decline as hospitals, insurers, and private equity firms expand their ownership of medical practices, according to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published on September 22. The report found that 47% of physicians were employed by or affiliated with hospital systems in 2024,…
31,000 Kaiser nurses, healthcare workers prepare for historic strike
Editor's Note More than 31,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and healthcare professionals are set to walk off the job on October 14 in what could be one of the largest healthcare strikes in recent history, Nurse.org October 7 reports. The 5-day strike, led by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of…
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- Quality Improvement: Reduce Specimen Labeling Errors
- Staffing Strategy: Grow Your Middle Management
- Olympus issues voluntary labeling update for bronchoscopes used with laser therapy equipment
- NorthStar Anesthesia scales ASC partnerships in Georgia with transparent, clinician-driven model
- Targeted intraoperative radiation slashes pancreatic cancer recurrence to 5%
- Ambient AI reshapes nursing workflows and boosts patient interaction
- Session: Developing a complex spine and total joint service line program in the ASC
- Session: The importance of having a comprehensive plan to prevent workplace violence in ASCs
- Session: Automate to elevate—Streamlining pre-, postoperative processes for better outcomes in ASCs
- Transparent oversight is key to safe surgical innovation