Everyone knows the time-honored cliché about surgeons who act out as the ego-driven superstars of the OR, and to whom everyone else on the perioperative team defers or even fears. In one periop leader’s experience, that dynamic has changed. “The physician of today is not the physician of 10 years…
The first case of the day is a complex orthopedic procedure. Loaner trays were expected the afternoon before but arrived late in the evening. Sterile processing adjusted priorities to accommodate the load. The industry representative is already in the department at 6:00 a.m., confirming instrumentation and reviewing implant availability with…
A unique chain of ASCs in Portland, Ore., is taking the concept of artificial intelligence (AI) integration with surgery to a new level. Oath Surgical, which co-owns and operates two ASCs in The City of Roses with a third on the way, says it is “building the future of surgical…
Operating rooms are among the most complex areas of health systems. Every day, perioperative teams are playing a complicated game of Tetris, but with much higher stakes. At Tampa General Hospital, we’re always asking what information we need to conquer some of this complexity so we can do better by…
In its 2026 Final Payment Rule, CMS added 573 codes to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL). It’s a big win for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) and its advocacy efforts. Kara Newbury, JD, ASCA’s chief advocacy officer, first and foremost views the rule through the lens of Medicare…
Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and Boston-based Mass General Brigham (MGB) this week announced a joint venture to create a "coordinated ambulatory network" serving Florida’s rapidly growing Martin, St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties, with a focus on expanding access to outpatient services including primary care, specialty care, advanced imaging, oncology…
Retained surgical items (RSIs) remain among the most preventable yet persistently recurring surgical “never events.” Despite decades of implementing process checklists, counting protocols, and technology solutions, surgical items continue to be left inside patients across the country. The question “How do RSIs happen?” is no longer sufficient. Instead, we must…
At many ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), “doing more with less” is an existential situation. Can artificial intelligence (AI) help alleviate the situation? That’s what Emily Spooner, president and owner of ASC consulting and management firm Marisa Consulting, will explore in her session “AI-powered insights to boost efficiency and margins in…
