Same-Day Surgery 2012-09-01

Healthcare reform moves forward, but where do you stand?

Brace for millions of more patients. With the recent Supreme Court ruling that cleared a path for most provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to proceed, you might see a measurable increase in surgery patients as early as next year and continuing through the end of the decade, predicts the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN).

CMS issues pay proposal, but rates could be less

[Editor's note: Same-Day Surgery tweeted about the 2013 Medicare proposed rates on July 9 @SameDaySurgery and sent an ebulletin on the same date. If you didn't receive our ebulletin, we don't have your email address. Contact customer service at (800) 688-2421 or [email protected].]

Facility cuts falls 88% and med errors 30%

Butler County Health Care Center (BCHCC) in David City, NE, is small it has 25 beds serving a rural community of 2,500 but the administrators think big. Using a program that enhances teamwork, the hospital has reduced patient falls by 88% and medication errors that reach the patient by 30%.

Same-Day Surgery Manager: The big question: To bill, or not to bill?

If you are the director or employee of a hospital-based surgery facility, don't think this topic doesn't apply to you. Read on.

Invasive MRSA infections 'completely preventable'

In what is getting to be a familiar, tragic refrain, the improper use of single-dose vials (SDVs) has resulted in pain clinic patients in Arizona and Delaware acquiring serious bacterial infections that were "completely preventable," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.

Tablet computers help distract during cases

Whether it's the smartphones, tablet computers, or e-readers, new technology is all the rage these days. At the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Erie, PA, this mobile technology is being used to help patients.

NQF board endorses patient safety measures

The National Quality Forum (NQF) board of directors has endorsed 14 patient safety measures with a focus on complications. The measures address a range of quality concerns, including surgical safety, medication safety, venous thromboembolism, and care coordination.

SDS Accreditation Update: Want to ace infection control part of your survey? Perform an audit of your hand hygiene program

Outpatient surgery programs around the country are reporting that accreditation survey teams are sending an additional surveyor who targets infection control during the survey process.

SDS Accreditation Update: Posters let patients access safety info on smartphones

The SAFE CARE Patient Safety Education program uses free posters that healthcare facilities can hang in patient rooms or patient care areas that allow patients and families to instantly access and watch safety videos by topic.

SDS Accreditation Update: AAAHC tailors program for office-based centers

The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) has announced an accreditation program that is tailored to the specific needs of practices that offer office-based surgery (OBS), and it is priced to be cost-effective for smaller practices. AAAHC defines an OBS center as an organization that has no more than four physicians/dentists and no more than two operating/procedure rooms.

SDS Accreditation Update: Joint Commission updates FAQ

The Joint Commission has updated its frequently asked question about non-licensed, non-employee individuals for the ambulatory, hospital, critical access hospital, and office-based programs, as well as home care, laboratory, and long-term care programs.

SDS Accreditation Update: Joint Commission's video highlights patient rights

The Joint Commission has released its seventh episode in the animated Speak Up video series, "Speak Up: Know Your Rights." The new video features characters as they depict the rights every patient should expect from their caregivers.

Same-Day Surgery – September 1, 2012

September 1, 2012