Tag: Scheduling & Utilization

Pediatric modification of scoring scale helps surgeons prioritize procedures during COVID-19

Editor's Note In this study, researchers found that a pediatric adaptation of the adult Medically Necessary Time-Sensitive (MeNTS) risk stratification system was a valuable decision tool that helped them prioritize surgical procedures in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers tested the pediatric MeNTS (pMeNTS) in 101 patients scheduled for…

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By: Judy Mathias
June 1, 2020
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An agile, data-driven strategy for post-COVID-19 OR management

Editor's Note As states begin to ease restrictions imposed by COVID-19, physicians, nurse leaders, and administrators face a momentous challenge in resuming elective surgical procedures. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center developed a model that made best use of available data (eg, case logs, forecasts, etc). Adoption of an agile methodology—a…

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By: Judy Mathias
May 14, 2020
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OR leaders chart new territory for resuming elective surgery

Elective surgical procedures that were temporarily suspended in mid-March are now on the table—or soon will be—at some US facilities. The ban, announced on March 18 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), was enacted to free up resources for facilities overwhelmed by surges of COVID-19 patients. On…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
May 12, 2020
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Children's hospital revises patient care criteria for COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact on all aspects of healthcare delivery worldwide. For children’s hospitals, the crisis has created unique challenges in ensuring patient and provider safety as well as helping to contain the spread of COVID-19 through their communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
May 12, 2020
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Creative thinking shapes COVID-19 response to expected surge

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented strains on hospitals and healthcare systems, leaving many organizations with limited resources to care for severely ill patients. States, regions, hospitals, and health systems have had to reassess their resources, identify bottlenecks, and develop strategies for increasing critical care capacity. Creating the critical care…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
April 23, 2020
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Experts address COVID-19 concerns in AORN town halls

OR nurses are being asked to serve in positions outside the operating room and experiencing changes in their schedules, and they are concerned about the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. To support OR nurses during this time of crisis, AORN has been holding town hall Q&A webinars with infection preventionists,…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
April 23, 2020
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Editorial

The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating, especially for those who have lost loved ones or income due to sudden unemployment. For healthcare workers and emergency services providers, fear of contracting the disease is now a daily part of life. The virus has commanded exclusive coverage in OR a.m. for…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
April 23, 2020
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Triaging OR capacity amid COVID-19: Lessons from the field

Health systems nationwide are examining policies and procedures related to their resources, staffing, and scheduling to prepare for anticipated patient surges due to COVID-19. In late March, I talked with perioperative physicians and administrators from two health systems with rapid increases in COVID-positive cases, which have prompted significant changes in…

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By: Jo Quetsch, MA, RN
April 23, 2020
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Developing a COVID-19 Recovery Plan for surgical services

When the coronavirus pandemic begins to subside, hospital leaders will be sorting out the repercussions and trying to resume normal operations. The main impact on ORs has been the widespread cancellation of non-essential procedures. Case cancellations in March and April have reduced elective procedure volumes as much as 90%. Most…

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By: OR Manager
April 23, 2020
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ACS, AORN, ASA, AHA develop roadmap for resuming elective surgery

Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on April 17 announced that the ACS, AORN, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and American Hospital Association (AHA) together developed a roadmap to guide readiness, prioritization, and scheduling for safely resuming elective surgery. Highlights of the roadmap include: Implementing a policy for…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 22, 2020
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