Use this Idea That Works to let staff know the patient isn't ready for the OR yet.

Staff Safety: Standing up for surgical smoke safety. The staff at Dosher Memorial Hospital banded together to protect themselves — and surgeons — from the dangers of toxic plumes.

Know when a bay is cleaned and ready for a patient with this Idea That Works from Texas.

Pain Control: When total joint patients want to kick up their heels. At Houston Physicians' Hospital, a multifaceted initiative has dramatically improved pain scores and recoveries.

Feds: Sightpath lured eye surgeons with luxury trips for nearly a decade. Mobile cataract surgery outsourcing firm allegedly took ophthalmologists on luxury skiing vacations and high-end fishing, golfing and hunting trips to persuade them to use its servi

Anatomy of a scam: materials manager and his accomplice allegedly bilked facility into buying supplies it never received. Two men, including the ASC's former materials manager, have been indicted on multiple counts of fraud for allegedly scheming $1

Jury Clears GI Doc of Negligence in Colon Cancer Suit. A jury found David Vastola, DO, not negligent in performing a 2011 colonoscopy on a patient who 18 months later presented with terminal colon cancer.

Study: Long-Term Opioid Use Rarely Starts With Surgery. Patients leaving the hospital after surgery are rarely the ones whose chronic opioid use started with a surgeon's prescription.

Do drug-free interventions reduce pain or opioid consumption after total knee arthroplasty? Researchers find that electrotherapy and acupuncture might reduce and delay opioid consumption, but do little to control pain.

Administration signals likely end to Medicare bundled payments initiative. Recently posted rule suggests that the twice-postponed rule will be rescinded.

New pogram aims to optimize colorectal surgery. Participating facilities have access to tools and advice for implementing an evidenced-based clinical pathway.

Hospital accused of elaborate cover-up after unnecessary surgery. Patient's lawsuit says she had organs removed for no reason following mistaken pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

Robotic device shows promise as soft, smart endoscope tool. Harvard researchers believe their new device may help to facilitate complex procedures.

Penis enhancement surgery turns fatal. Researchers believe the patient died from a pulmonary fat embolism during what's generally considered a simple and safe procedure.

Sterility concerns prompt shutdown of Utah-based compounding pharmacy. Isomeric Pharmacy Solutions produced and distributed contaminated drugs for years, says the FDA.

Save time and energy pulling clases with this Idea That Works from Corinth, Miss.

Indicate when a case cart is complete with this Idea That Works from La Jolla, Calif.

Reducing the risk of wrong-site surgery. Key defenses in the battle to eliminate preventable harm include the time out, pre-operative verification process and site marking.

Improve your polyp detection rates. Advances in flexible endoscopy enhance your ability to visualize the colon's walls and peer behind its folds.

Staffing: 5 Tips for meaningful meetings. You can get a lot done in a 15-minute weekly staff gathering.