Medicare Advantage patients see lower perioperative costs than traditional Medicare peers
Editor's Note Surgical episodes for Medicare Advantage (MA) patients cost less and used fewer resources than those for traditional Medicare (TM) beneficiaries, according to a JAMA Health Forum study published August 1. Researchers analyzed 1.18 million procedures performed on 1.11 million beneficiaries and found 30-day episode costs were 3.1% lower…
Leveraging technology to streamline ASC operations, optimize patient care
As we celebrate National ASC Month, it is worth recognizing how central ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have become to modern healthcare. Today, there are more than 12,000 ASCs across the US, including over 6,500 Medicare-certified facilities operating some 18,800 surgical suites. With over 80% of all surgical procedures being performed…
OR Business Management Summit chair outlines data-driven strategies for financial, operational success
Although hospital performance from January to April 2025 outpaced the first 4 months of 2024, according to Kaufman Hall’s June 2025 “National Hospital Flash Report,” many surgical departments remain under intense financial pressure. Labor and supply costs continue to rise, while surgical services are especially vulnerable to inefficiencies like labor…
July poll results: Perioperative leaders are tackling labor costs, staffing flexibility
Perioperative leaders often have to make critical decisions, not just in the middle of an operational crisis but also somewhere in the edges—the routine but still high-stakes moments where leaders need to adjust resources or absorb costs under tight constraints. The economic margin for error continues to narrow, and many…
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…
Study: Algorithm offers smarter OR scheduling under pressure
Editor's Note A robust scheduling model can significantly improve OR efficiency and stability when surgery and recovery times are unpredictable, according to research published in the journal Mathematics. Using a Genetic Algorithm for Robust Scheduling (GARS), the authors demonstrate a practical and computationally efficient method for minimizing makespan across a…
Oncology hospital boosts efficiency with real-time 4-hour staffing tool
Editor's Note An adult oncology specialty hospital has significantly improved staffing precision and fiscal accountability by replacing traditional 12-hour staffing assessments with a dynamic 4-hour model, according to a May 16 article in Oncology Nurse Advisor. The tool allows nurse leaders to match resources to fluctuating patient needs in near…
Scrubs to startups: Nurse entrepreneur turns Navy-taught leadership into consulting mastery
The kind of Navy-taught leadership Brian Dawson, MSN, RN-BC, CNOR, CSSM, taps into is straightforward. “If you’re going to lead 3,500 people to move to the left when you need them to, you better know how to get them to see your goals as their goals,” he says during a…
Surveyed nurses report widespread burnout, urge system-wide reform
Editor's Note Nurses continue to face high stress, burnout, and understaffing, according to the State of Nursing in 2025 report by Cross Country Healthcare and FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. As detailed in an April 29 summary from Florida Atlantic University, the report is based on responses from…
Bold moves in the OR: Perioperative leaders size up 2025 amid turbulent first quarter
Why reflect on the past? Reflection anchors strategy and revitalizes purpose. Since the start of the year, the economy has been unstable, regulations have been in flux, and the livelihood of many is being put through grueling tests. But reflecting on the triumphs of past years shows that under the…
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- 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
- New patient tool for seeking quality care includes surgery
- Review: Top reasons for perioperative nurse turnover intention
- ASCs look abroad for staffing, but new $100,000 visa fee threatens access to global talent