In this issue . . .
November 2007 • Vol. 3 No. 11
By Dawn Q. McLane, RN, MSA, CASC, CNOR
Chief Development Officer, Nikitis Resource Group
Since nursing organizations first began to take a hard look at demonstrating competency in the mid-1980s, the spotlight on competency has shown brighter year by year.
ASC industry pros like what they hear
about plans for FASA/AAASC merger
The announcement early last month that the two major business associations representing ambulatory surgery centers —FASA, Inc., and the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers—had agreed to merge drew nearly universal praise from ASC owners and industry consultants.
Hospitals adopting technology
allowing bidding for open shifts
A growing number of hospitals are using online bidding technology to manage traveling and per-diem nurse staffing requirements, particularly keeping track of and filling open shifts. The goal isn’t just filling an open shift position at the lowest cost. Well-designed bidding systems enable perioperative managers to match skills to case requirements and offer flexible work arrangements to a multigenerational workforce.
Medicare, private plans to combine data
for new national transparency initiative
A broad alliance of private-sector and government entities working to improve the quality of U.S. health care announced plans last month to develop a consistent national approach to transparency. They aim to make public not only physician and hospital quality-of-care data, but also measures of the cost of treating a list of common health conditions.
CMS issues final 2008 payment rules
for hospital outpatient, ASC services
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued final rules Nov. 1 updating hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System rates and ambulatory surgery center payment rates for services to be performed in calendar year 2008.
CDC study finds higher rate
for invasive MRSA infections
As this issue of AORN Management Connections neared completion, a flurry of media attention in recent weeks to the spread of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections was sure to focus attention on a conference to be held in Atlanta Nov. 5-6 sponsored by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.
Overview of surgical research studies
presented at ACS Clinical Congress
New treatments to stem massive bleeding in trauma patients—the leading cause of death for trauma patients in the U.S.—were among a host of surgery-related research findings presented during the American College of Surgeons’ Clinical Congress in New Orleans Oct. 7-11.
AHRQ study compares results
of CABG, angioplasty trials
A study of controlled clinical trials involving almost 10,000 atherosclerois patients found no difference in long-term survival outcomes for those treated with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and those treated with coronary stents. But freedom from angina and repeat revascularization procedures was significantly greater for patients who underwent CABG.
Physicians advised on reducing risks
with fault-prone defibrillator leads
Medtronic, manufacturer of fault-prone Sprint Fidelis® cardiac electrodes that link patients’ implantable cardioverter or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators to their hearts, is offering guidance to physicians on reducing the risks of life-threatening failures.
News briefing for perioperative leaders
This month’s news briefing for perioperative managers includes an update on hospitals’ voluntary compliance with Medicare quality-reporting guidelines, a healthcare supply chain coalition’s push for standardized organization and product identifiers, two proposed AORN recommended practices currently up for public comments, a study finding a big mortality drop for six quality-of-care-dependent surgical procedures and much more.
This month's ASC news review includes several ASC-specific Joint Commission initiatives, including an ongoing study of the risks of inaccurate or incomplete preoperative nursing assessments conducted by ASCs, as well as a research study comparing the safety and prices charged for laparoscopic cholecystectomies when performed in hospital outpatient departments and free-standing surgical centers.
