Same-Day Surgery – March 1, 2003

March 1, 2003

• Examine your practices after large outpatient hepatitis C outbreak

  Outpatient managers typically assume that their anesthetists adhere to basic infection control practices, such as using needles and syringes only once. Three hepatitis C outbreaks and a survey in the last two years make the point perfectly clear: Some providers probably one in 100 are not following the basics.

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• Malpractice crisis: Some surgeons walk off the job

  As the liability insurance crisis comes to a head in many states and some surgeons are organizing walkouts, facilities are facing dire financial impact from those walkouts.

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• Same Day Surgery Manager: Don’t blow productivity with too many meetings

  This is the second of a two-part series on productivity. Last month, we told you what productivity really means and discussed why 100% productivity may not be a good idea. This month, we offer you realistic ideas for improving productivity.

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• MedPAC urges payment cuts for surgery centers

  In a report to be submitted this month to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) will recommend that ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) receive no inflation update for 2004 Medicare payments and that no surgical procedures be paid more in an ASC than a hospital outpatient department.

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• Medicare adopts 2000 Life Safety Code

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has adopted the fire safety regulations of the 2000 Life Safety Code, updated and published by the Quincy, MA-based National Fire Protection Association.

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• Staffing standards require look at multiple indicators

  This is the second of a two-part series on effective staffing for same-day surgery programs. Last month, we looked at how to determine how many people and what skills are needed for a successful program. This month, we look at accreditation standards on staffing effectiveness and how the standards will affect same-day surgery managers.

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• HIPAA Q & A

  Question: How do I assess my readiness for the privacy requirements?

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• Antimicrobial suture cuts surgical site infections

  A new product, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in December, can help address more than 675,000 surgical site infections that occur each year.

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• Survey targets open but unused devices

  The American Hospital Association (AHA) has conducted a survey of open but unused single-use devices (SUDs) and has concluded that theres no need for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the handling of such devices.

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