Joint Commission to tailor accreditation standards for children’s hospitals
Editor's Note The Joint Commission has launched a new strategy to revise its accreditation and certification programs to better reflect the distinct needs of pediatric care. According to a July 29 announcement, the effort responds to requests from the children’s health community and aims to revise or remove standards that…
Study: Physician organizational affiliation impacts procedure locations, costs
Editor's Note Hospital-employed physicians are least likely and private equity (PE)-affiliated physicians most likely to provide care in lower-cost ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) or offices, according to a study published July 24 in the Journal of Market Access & Health Policy These care site differences translate to substantial variation in…
Emergency preparedness: Identifying essential supplies for unplanned surgical events
While most emergency surgical procedures are carried out uneventfully and safely, the OR is also a place where potentially life-threatening and least-expected instances can arise. Emergencies such as malignant hyperthermia, intraoperative cardiac arrest, and anaphylaxis can catch OR leaders and staff off guard. Perioperative teams need proper and adequate preparation…
US News names 504 top-performing regional hospitals in 2025-2026 rankings
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…
Study: Postoperative delirium triples risk of complications, death in older patients
Editor's Note Postoperative delirium significantly worsens outcomes for older adults undergoing major noncardiac surgery, according to research published July 8 in JAMA Network Open. Specifically, findings showed patients who developed postoperative delirium had 3.5 times the odds of death or major complications, 2.8 times the odds of 30-day mortality, and…
GLP-1 drugs show promise for preoperative weight loss
Editor's Note Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists may offer orthopedic patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes a powerful tool for preoperative weight loss and potential disease modification, according to a July 10 review article in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. However, the agents carry perioperative risks that…
FDA designates Class I recall for arterial cannulae due to exposed wire risk
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated a Class I recall—the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death—for several models of arterial cannulae manufactured by Edwards Lifesciences. Affected products include OptiSite Arterial Perfusion Cannula models OPTI16 and OPTI18, as well as Peripheral Femoral…
FDA designates Class I recall for mobile lift component
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Baxter’s recall of the Q-Link 13 mobile lift component a Class I, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. As detailed in the agency’s July 23 announcement, the optional component connects to sling bars on…
Fast-track ENT days boost surgical volume, cut backlog at UCSF Benioff Children’s
Editor's Note Designating underused neurosurgery blocks for straightforward ENT procedures increased surgical volume and reduced wait times at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, according to a July 3 report from the Children’s Hospital Association’s 2025 Transforming Quality Conference. The initiative began in early 2024, when ENT leaders and surgical…
FDA issues safety alert for Baxter Novum IQ large volume pumps
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an early alert for Baxter’s Novum IQ Large Volume Pumps (Model 40700BAXUS) due to potential for underinfusion when transitioning from a flow rate to a higher flow rate (eg, rate change or bolus). According to the agency’s July 22…
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