Should clothing and shoes be a priority in surgery's battle against infections?

You know you need to enforce infection control practices such as proper equipment sterilization.

Contracts for catering and cleaning scrutinized

Most hospitals in Scotland are going to be banned from contracting out cleaning and catering services to private firms as part of a new drive toward cutting the spread of deadly superbugs.

Should you reuse markers after designating site?

Many outpatient surgery providers throw away their markers after designating the surgical site. But could you save money and help the environment by reusing them? One recent study points to that possibility, at least for one brand of markers.

States and providers tackle influenza

Declination statements are being used in widespread efforts to have large numbers of outpatient surgery staff members and others vaccinated for the flu.

Payment rates decline for some specialties

Newly released 2009 payment rates for ambulatory surgery will be painful for certain specialties, says Kathy Bryant, president of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association. For example, gastrointestinal cases have a 7% decrease, which is added to a 5% decrease last year, Bryant says.

Hospitals receive 3.6% inflation update

The final Medicare outpatient payment rule includes a 3.6% annual inflation update for hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs).

Same-Day Surgery Manager: How to get patients out of the recovery room

Question: Please explain the difference between pushing patients out the door versus letting them become lounge lizards that seemingly have no place to go after their surgery.

NV looks at oversight for surgery centers

In the wake of a highly publicized outbreak of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Las Vegas, proposed state laws in Nevada include proposals to hire infection preventionists (IPs) as consultants to oversee practice in freestanding centers.

Outbreaks draw attention to ambulatory practices

In recent years, large outbreaks of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections have occurred among patients in private medical practices, pain clinics, endoscopy clinics, and a hematology/oncology practice.

National Quality Forum endorses surgery standards

The National Quality Forum (NQF) has endorsed 13 clinician-level consensus standards related to perioperative care and four facility-level measures in surgery and anesthesia.

Scoping for knee OA revisited: It's still not OK

Six years ago, The New England Journal of Medicine reported1,2 Moseley's study of the use of arthroscopy to treat knee osteoarthritis (OA).

December 1, 2008