In this issue...
August 2007 • Vol. 3 No. 8
Managers Soap Box
Coaching-A critical leadership skill
Good coaches engage in a process of discovery, observing a team member’s actions and then providing feedback to help him or her build new skills and become more agile on the job.
Effective communication, teamwork
Are keys to periop 'culture of safety
Communication and teamwork were the focus of discussion during the 2007 Executive Symposium on Surgical Safety hosted July 15-17 by AORN and other professional associations representing members of the perioperative team.
Surgical care organizations formalize
Council on surgical, perioperative safety
The Council on Surgical and Perioperative Safety, a multidisciplinary coalition of AORN and six other professional organizations whose members are involved in the care of surgical patients, has officially incorporated and named a slate of officers.
CMS issues final rule on ASC payments
The fast growing ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry bemoaned last month's decision by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reimburse ASCs for surgical procedures at a rate that's likely to be only 65% of the corresponding reiumbursement rates for hospital outpatient service rates.
Team training investments
Pay off in safety, quality
Improving teamwork in the OR will help a healthcare facility promote patient safety, but it may take a cultural shift, according to hospital teams who spoke at the 2007 Executive Symposium on Surgical Patient Safety.
News briefing for perioperative leaders
This month's news briefs cover a new Web site tracking the presidential candidates' positions on healthcare issues, studies projecting savings from adopting electronic Rx prescription systems and documenting the risks of sharps injuries to surgical residents, and much more.
New law puts Pennsylvania in vanguard
Of HAI control, reporting requirements
Health care reform legislation signed into law July 20 by Gov. Edward G. Redell (D.) will require Pennsylvania hospitals, ambulatory surgery facilities and nursing homes to develop plans for rigorous healthcare-associated infection (HAI) control and reporting systems.
New York requires accreditation of office-based surgeries
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D.) on July 18 signed into law legislation (S.6052) requiring that office-based surgeries be performed by physicians in settings that have obtained and maintained accreditation.
CMS proposes 3.3% update for outpatient services
Medicare payments for services provided in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) would go up 3.3% in 2008 under a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) proposed inflation update for the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS).
FDA Guidance on Radio Frequency Identification
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its guidance on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), a tool for identifying and tracking items or people. According to the FDA, RFID is a rapidly growing technology and it may soon be used more widely in settings such as hospitals.
Coaching-A critical leadership skill
Good coaches engage in a process of discovery, observing a team member’s actions and then providing feedback to help him or her build new skills and become more agile on the job.
Effective communication, teamwork
Are keys to periop 'culture of safety
Communication and teamwork were the focus of discussion during the 2007 Executive Symposium on Surgical Safety hosted July 15-17 by AORN and other professional associations representing members of the perioperative team.
Surgical care organizations formalize
Council on surgical, perioperative safety
The Council on Surgical and Perioperative Safety, a multidisciplinary coalition of AORN and six other professional organizations whose members are involved in the care of surgical patients, has officially incorporated and named a slate of officers.
CMS issues final rule on ASC payments
The fast growing ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry bemoaned last month's decision by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reimburse ASCs for surgical procedures at a rate that's likely to be only 65% of the corresponding reiumbursement rates for hospital outpatient service rates.
Team training investments
Pay off in safety, quality
Improving teamwork in the OR will help a healthcare facility promote patient safety, but it may take a cultural shift, according to hospital teams who spoke at the 2007 Executive Symposium on Surgical Patient Safety.
News briefing for perioperative leaders
This month's news briefs cover a new Web site tracking the presidential candidates' positions on healthcare issues, studies projecting savings from adopting electronic Rx prescription systems and documenting the risks of sharps injuries to surgical residents, and much more.
New law puts Pennsylvania in vanguard
Of HAI control, reporting requirements
Health care reform legislation signed into law July 20 by Gov. Edward G. Redell (D.) will require Pennsylvania hospitals, ambulatory surgery facilities and nursing homes to develop plans for rigorous healthcare-associated infection (HAI) control and reporting systems.
New York requires accreditation of office-based surgeries
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D.) on July 18 signed into law legislation (S.6052) requiring that office-based surgeries be performed by physicians in settings that have obtained and maintained accreditation.
CMS proposes 3.3% update for outpatient services
Medicare payments for services provided in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) would go up 3.3% in 2008 under a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) proposed inflation update for the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS).
FDA Guidance on Radio Frequency Identification
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its guidance on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), a tool for identifying and tracking items or people. According to the FDA, RFID is a rapidly growing technology and it may soon be used more widely in settings such as hospitals.
