Uncategorized Editor's Note Compared with type of procedure, differences between surgeons account for a small part of OR time variability, and the effect of differences between anesthesiologists is negligible, this study finds. Differences between surgeons accounted for 2.9% of variability in OR time, and differences between anesthesiologists accounted for 0.1%. …
Editor's Note Implementation of a forced-completion electronically mediated time out to minimize the rate of wrong surgery is feasible, but its effect on wrong surgery is unclear, finds this study. Researchers created an electronic system using intraoperative electronic documentation to present a time-out checklist on large in-room displays. Time out…
Editor's Note Hospital readmission app could save billions An award-winning app developed by graduate students at Binghamton University, State University of New York, could help reduce readmission rates and save the healthcare industry billions. The Android-based mobile app called “Post Discharge Treatment and Readmission Predictor,” creates a special messaging service…
Editor's Note Septicemia was the most expensive condition treated in US hospitals in 2013, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Others in the top 20 most expensive were: osteoarthritis, 2nd complications of device, implant, or graft, 4th complications of surgical procedures or medical care, 13th hip fracture,…
Editor's Note Moving to information systems and data requirements of the new value-based payment (VBP) reimbursement system is proving to be a daunting challenge for healthcare providers, the June 13 Health Data Management reports. A survey of healthcare executives from 190 hospitals shows that only 3% of respondents provide more…
Editor's Note An analysis of US commercial health insurance claims found ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) reduce the cost of outpatient surgery by more than $38 billion per year compared to hospital outpatient departments, the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association said in a June 14 report. The study, which included more than…
Editor's Note Eligible hospitals, critical access hospitals, and professionals who did not achieve "meaningful use" in the Medicare Electronic Health Record Incentive Program for the 2015 reporting period have until July 1 to apply for a hardship exception from the 2017 payment adjustment. The streamlined hardship applications reduce the…
Editor's Note An investigation by the Pasadena Public Health Department, Pasadena, California, into the outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial infections from duodenoscopes found that 16 patients at Huntington Hospital were infected from January 2013 to August 2015, including 11 who have now died, the June 1 Los Angeles Times reports.…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an alert May 23 on newly excluded ICD diagnosis codes that will no longer be accepted starting January 7, 2017. The codes include: T88.8XXA (Other specified complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified, initial encounter) T88.8XXD (Other…
Editor's Note New York City’s (NYC’s) 825-bed Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital will close in 4 years and be replaced by a much smaller 70-bed facility while expanding outpatient surgery, primary care, and behavioral health services, the May 25 New York Times reports. Officials blame the high cost of health…
