Same-Day Surgery – October 1, 2015
October 1, 2015
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ASC worker, about to be fired, moves patient files to personal email
An employee figured out that she was about to be fired by her surgery center. She responded by sending about 170 emails from her work computer to her personal email account. Those emails included personal information for 317 patients, including some highly sensitive files for in vitro fertilization patients.
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Good Computer Logs are Critical for Detecting Breaches
A detailed record of who accessed data, when, and how often might be the only way an organization can trace the source of a HIPAA breach.
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FDA issues guidance on duodenoscope reprocessing
The Food and Drug Administration has released guidance on supplemental reprocessing measures that might further reduce the risk of infection associated with the use of duodenoscopes, according to the American Hospital Association.
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Scopes still contaminated after cleaning, study shows
Potentially harmful bacteria can survive on endoscopes, despite a multi-step cleaning and disinfecting process, according to a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
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Warning signs: We’re becoming more bureaucratic
One of the major reasons I changed my career path to developing outpatient service facilities outside of the mainstream hospital market was the refreshing attitude of “let’s get it done.”
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Sleep apnea can pose malpractice risk
Surgical malpractice cases are increasingly citing obstructive sleep apnea as a factor in the patient injury, according to a new study.
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Anesthesia staff key to identifying children at risk for sleep-disordered breathing prior to surgery
Knowing which risks might come into play before or during surgery is especially important where children are concerned. Implementation of a screening questionnaire detailed in the August 2015 AANA Journal helps anesthesia professionals identify children with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing before undergoing a general anesthetic.
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Newly released research identifies cause of postoperative delirium in older patients
Newly published research from the Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, NJ, explains why up to half of older adults who undergo general anesthesia develop postoperative delirium, which is the sudden onset of confusion, aggression, or agitated behavior that could progress to dementia. /p>
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Anesthesia info management system alerts can boost patient care, but raise implementation challenges
Automated alerts generated using data from anesthesia information management systems are a promising approach to influencing the behavior of anesthesia providers, with the goal of improving care for patients undergoing surgery, according to a paper published in the September 2015 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
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SAGES launches program to reduce bile duct injury
The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons is educating practicing surgeons, residents, and fellows about technical steps to prevent bile duct injury, such as the Critical View of Safety and intraoperative biliary imaging.
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Electronic Health Fairness Act passes Senate
The U.S. Senate recently passed the Electronic Health Fairness Act of 2015 (S 1347), according to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association.
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Free infographic on robotics
A free infographic, Robotic Surgery, from ECRI Institute in Plymouth Meeting, PA, gives a view of the marketplace and shows purchasing trends, major procedure types, and information on future robots.