Reduced costs, faster recovery, and other advantages can make outpatient surgical procedures more convenient for providers and patients alike. Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are incredibly safe, but a lot of work goes into infection control. Cross-trained staff often wear many hats, and limited budgets may not leave room for dedicated…

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Starting a new job can be stressful for anyone, but nursing comes with a particular set of pressures. A 2024 survey of 6,000 nurses from the American Nurses Association (ANA), in partnership with McKinsey and Company, found that an astonishing 45% of early-tenure nurses reported they were somewhat likely to…

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Editor's Note Operating margins for health systems declined across the US in early 2025 even as hospitals reported steady revenue growth, according to a February 27 report from Strata Decision Technology. The median operating margin for U.S. health systems dropped to 1.0% in January, down from 2.1% in December, marking…

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Editor's Note Nearly 5,000 healthcare workers at Providence Health in Oregon secured substantial wage increases and improved staffing plans, ending a historic six-week strike that began January 10, according to a February 25 article in MedPage Today. According to the article, the strike involved eight RN bargaining units and marked…

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Editor's Note An artificial intelligence (AI) tool is showing significant promise in reducing the administrative workload for nurses and clinical partners on a 48-bed surgical unit at Cedars-Sinai, according to a February 12 Cedars-Sinai Newsroom Q&A with Rachel Coren, MPH, MS, vice president and associate chief information officer, and Peachy…

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Editor's Note Recent legislative efforts in Florida and Mississippi aim to expand the authority of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with measures that would remove supervisory requirements and allow independent practice for certain nurse practitioners. The efforts underscore an ongoing, nationwide debate over the role of APRNs in addressing provider…

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Editor's Note Only humans should be called nurses, argues Oregon State Representative Travis Nelson, a Portland Democrat and practicing nurse who recently introduced new legislation aiming to prevent the title from applying to artificial intelligence (AI) or any non-human entity. As detailed in a February 4 report from Nurse.org, House…

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Editor's Note As executive director of the Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM), Michael Schiller, CMRP, gets regular insight into strategies employed by healthcare organizations, suppliers, technology leaders and frontline staff—insight he was happy to share with OR business Management Conference attendees in a February 11 presentation.…

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Editor's Note Attendees to the 2025 OR Business Management Conference gained new insight with an international flavor from Moustafa Bleik and Fadi Fares, who had flown all the way from Saudi Arabia to detail recent improvements at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. In a session with multiple audience…

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Editor's Note Driving efficiency in perioperative scheduling requires a combination of the right technology, cross-team collaboration, and a commitment to change management. This was among the primary takeaways of an OR Business Management Conference session on Northwell Health's approach to optimizing operating room (OR) workflows. Adam Becker, MPA, assistant vice…

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