Same-Day Surgery – September 1, 2003
September 1, 2003
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Media report surgeon horror stories: Would your facility credential them?
Reports of a surgeon inserting a screwdriver in a patients spine and another whose license was revoked after his state board for professional medical conduct said his continued practice would put patients in imminent danger have made outpatient surgery managers sit up and pay new attention to credentialing. -
Priorities: Safety, quality come before profitability
Now is a good time to do a reality check and refocus on the priorities in your surgical department. -
Safety coaches address more than clinical issues
When you think about patient safety, the first things that come to mind are usually clinical issues such as identification of correct surgical sites, verification of medication allergies, and proper use of electrosurgical equipment. -
Safety rounds emphasize issues for all staff
The culture of safety that is promoted throughout the same-day surgery program as well as other departments at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, VA, is most evident in the monthly environment-of-care rounds. -
Patient safety goals stress communication
The 2004 Patient Safety Goals of the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations include all of the 2003 goals along with a new goal that focuses on the reduction of the risk of health care-acquired infections. -
HIPAA Q&A
HIPAA Q&A -
Hospitals receive 3.8% rate increase
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a 3.8% increase for the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) for 2004. -
Before buying equipment, get surgeons’ commitment
At Centre Community Surgical Center in State College, PA, physicians used to submit 10-15 requests for capital purchases each year. -
New guideline for flexible GI scopes reprocessing
The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has published a position statement for reprocessing flexible gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopes. -
Protocol established for wrong-site surgery
Beginning July 1, 2004, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare will require organizations that provide surgical services to comply with a new universal protocol for preventing wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-person surgery.