Same-Day Surgery – December 1, 2020
December 1, 2020
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Racial Disparities Persist in Surgery
A specific cause remains elusive.
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Social Determinants of Health Affect Surgical Care Disparities
Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, and age. Before learning more about surgical disparities and their effects on various racial and ethnic groups, researchers will need more of these data.
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Healthy Black Children More Likely to Die After Surgery
The authors of a recent study found African American children who are otherwise apparently healthy are 3.43 times more likely to die within 30 days after surgery when compared with white patients.
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Organizations Say It Is Time for Clinicians to Speak Out for Change
Many healthcare organizations, including the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, joined hundreds of businesses in condemning racism and police brutality. The American College of Surgeons issued a call to action on racism as a public health crisis.
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Decision Aids Can Help with Surgery Utilization
Surgeons can use educationally based decision aids to improve rates of knee arthroplasty utilization among African Americans. The decision aids should include information about pre- and postoperative pain and performance outcomes.
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Operating Room Noise May Be Louder Than It Seems
The authors of a research project found the average noise level in one OR was 68 decibels, with a maximum average noise level of 87 decibels, which is about as loud as a hairdryer. The peak noise level was comparable to the sound of a bulldozer.
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HHS Releases Latest Iteration of Antibiotic Resistance Action Plan
The five-point strategy crafted in previous years remains the same, but the tactics have improved to help execute the goals. The new plan includes details about stronger and more evidence-based activities that have reduced antibiotic resistance that public health officials can lean on to drive progress.
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Hospitals Without Walls
In April, CMS unveiled “Hospitals Without Walls,” a COVID-19 pandemic-specific policy likely to affect both hospitals and surgery centers. It provides a path for a Medicare-approved ASC to change its status to a hospital, thus allowing just about any Medicare-approved procedure permitted in a hospital to be performed in a surgery center — and at hospital reimbursement rates.
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AAAHC Takes Pragmatic Approach in Latest Edition of Handbook
There are notable updates regarding surgical site marking, high-alert medications, and quality improvement projects.
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Analysis: ASCs Saved Nearly $29 Billion in Medicare Costs 2011-2018
The authors estimated ambulatory surgery centers could reduce program costs by another $73.4 billion from 2019 to 2028.