Two decades ago, most plastic surgeries were performed in hospitals. Patients, even those who underwent minimally invasive procedures, were usually required to stay...

Outpatient facilities run lean by design, but shortages have created gaps along the front lines that are stretching existing staff thin at even the healthiest of facilities....

The importance of same-day outpatient cardiology was on full display in 2020 — during the worst months of the pandemic — and I was fortunate enough to be in the thick...

What role does patient education play in moving more complex procedures to an ASC setting? It’s one of the key factors in a successful surgery. You want to give people the most information possible so there are no surprises....

I believe the velocity of change is more rapid in health care than it is in any other industry. That’s a good thing. It’s this exponential growth that has allowed ASCs and HOPDs to deliver care today that was unimaginable...

Less than a decade ago, virtually all spine surgeries were performed on an inpatient basis. The reason for this was much more than an antiquated belief that those who had just had back surgery should be immobilized...

Sometimes it takes an unprecedented global event to help facilities refocus their efforts on the basic, tried-and-true protocols that fell by the wayside as pressing issues demanded immediate attention. COVID-19 was...

You’re probably aware that AORN’s evidence-based surgical attire guideline promotes cleanliness in the surgical space to protect patients and personnel from transmission...

Stretcher chairs enable patients to remain on one surface from pre-op through a procedure and all the way to PACU. They eliminate the need for staff to laterally transfer...

Surgical facilities across the country are in a holding pattern as court injunctions have temporarily blocked federal COVID-19 vaccination mandates for about half of the...

The symptoms are easy to notice. Sleep and appetite disturbances. Feeling anxious, on edge, stressed out, confused. Difficulty concentrating, guilt, shame, anger,...

Great ideas for your OR

It’s hard to believe another year is in the books. New Year’s wouldn’t be complete without the obligatory and overly ambitious list of resolutions we can’t possibly achieve....

There are plenty of reasons more surgeons are turning to non-traditional ways to improve their wound-closure techniques and improve the overall healing process....

Staff at Einstein Endoscopy Center in Blue Bell, Pa., used to receive annual ergonomics training based on a standardized program designed by experts who work for the large health system that owns the facility. The instruction...

When Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., wanted to step up its sustainability efforts, placing more recycling bins around the facility was a great start. But too many staff were still uncertain about what should be recycled...

Sometimes all it takes to put younger patients at ease before surgery is a friend — a furry one they can squeeze to death in the OR and take home with them after the procedure is over. That’s the idea behind...

Supply chain issues during the pandemic caused deliveries of Diet Coke, Mountain Dew and other sodas to be delayed at Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls, S.D. When the soda deliveries went away in 2020, the facility’s leadership...

Forcing loved ones to sit in their vehicles in the parking lot as part of COVID-19 restrictions made The Toledo (Ohio) Clinic Outpatient Surgery Center’s job of providing the best possible patient experience more difficult...

Virtual reality (VR) combines immersive, scalable technology with engaging and affordable education platforms to provide what many experts believe will become...