Editor's Note Each month of delay between breast cancer diagnosis and surgery raises the likelihood of tumor upstaging, nodal spread, and in vivo tumor growth, according to a national database analysis published in Annals of Surgical Oncology on July 23. The researchers reviewed records from more than 1 million patients…

Read More

Editor's Note At least 160 million people worldwide are unable to receive essential surgical care each year, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) most affected, News Medical Life Sciences July 15 reports. The study, published in The Lancet and led by the University of Birmingham’s NIHR Global Health Research Unit…

Read More

In July 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed sweeping changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year 2026. Among the most impactful updates is the launch of the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM)—a mandatory value-based payment program focused on heart failure and low back pain.…

Read More

Editor's Note As part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) newly issued 2026 Final Rule, the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) will hold hospitals and health systems accountable for the entire episode of care for major surgeries, from admission through 30 days post-discharge. HIT Consultant reported the…

Read More

Editor's Note Regular check-ins and visible leadership can help ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) head off legal trouble before it starts. That is the central message from employment attorney Salvatore Puccio on a recent episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, Ambulatory Surgery Center News July 23 reports. Puccio, a partner…

Read More

Editor's Note US News & World Report has named 504 hospitals across 49 states and 95 metro areas to its 2025–2026 list of Best Regional Hospitals, recognizing facilities with superior performance in patient outcomes, nursing care, and procedural quality. The announcement, made July 29, marks the 36th edition of the…

Read More

Editor's Note Logistical staff layoffs at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are hindering the agency’s ability to scrutinize drug manufacturing safety in foreign countries, according to a July 7 report in ProPublica. A spokesperson from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told ProPublica that FDA…

Read More

Editor's Note The Joint Commission has launched a major redesign of its healthcare accreditation and certification programs with Accreditation 360: The New Standard. According to a June 30 announcement, the new framework introduces outcome-focused performance tools, eliminates hundreds of requirements, and promises to made standards publicly accessible. Reportedly supported by…

Read More

Editor's Note New clinical guidelines emphasize that safe and equitable perioperative care for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) patients hinges on affirming communication, tailored medical assessments, and culturally competent practice. According to a peer-reviewed article published in the June issue of Nursing, perioperative teams must adopt evidence-based, inclusive approaches to better…

Read More

Editor's Note Hospitals that embrace LGBTQ+ inclusive policies see better nurse retention, improved care quality, and stronger institutional endorsement, according to a large cross-sectional study published on March 25 in JAMA Network. The study examined data from 7,343 nurses across 111 hospitals in New York and Illinois, focusing on the…

Read More