Published in Anesthesiology. 2014 Mar Authors: Acosta CM et al., BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to test the accuracy of lung sonography (LUS) to diagnose anesthesia-induced atelectasis in children undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Fifteen children with American Society of Anesthesiology’s physical status classification I and aged 1 to 7 yr old […]
Read MoreAmbulatory surgery centers, since their inception, have touted their lower-cost services as competitive advantage, and rightfully so. According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, ASCs are currently paid less than 60 percent of what hospital outpatient departments receive for the same procedures — which results in savings to both the insurer and patient. While ASCs […]
Read MoreThe cost associated with reworking a claim is $15–nearly $11 of which is staff time. By reducing the amount of time it takes to rework a claim, you’ll reduce your cost and get your claims re-submitted faster. One of the most time-consuming steps in reworking a claim is comprehending the payer’s complex rejection messages. With […]
Read MoreHealthcare spending, which was mostly in check, hovering close to the general inflation rate in recent years, may be on the rise again–or not. Healthcare spending and prices may be on an unsustainable rise after years of slow growth during the Great Recession, Forbes suggests. But healthcare spending in March was 7.1 percent higher than […]
Read MoreI thought this was an important article since many of our readers practice in a community hospital. As community hospitals around the country fall victim to declining volumes, shrinking patient care reimbursement and other financial woes, more organizations consider giving up their independent status to align with larger entities to survive. In Virginia, Community Memorial […]
Read MorePublished in Acta Neurol Scand. 2014 Apr;129(4):e16-9 Authors: Olivieri C et al., BACKGROUND: Surgery in patients affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) presents a particular anesthetic challenge because of the risk of post-operative pulmonary complications. AIMS OF THE STUDY: We report on the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) to prevent post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in […]
Read MoreAuthors: Lim C-W et al., Anaesthesia 2014 Apr 18; This technique reduces epistaxis and the need for manipulations. During nasotracheal intubation, the desired path of the tracheal tube is inferiorly along the nasal floor, beneath the inferior turbinate. Superior paths are suboptimal and may increase complications, including epistaxis and trauma to the ethmoid bone. To […]
Read MoreThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared the maker of the Da Vinci robot surgical system has adequately addressed violations the agency pointed out last summer. In a letter an FDA compliance officer informed Intuitive Surgical that “the company’s corrective actions in response to the 2013 warning letter appeared to pass muster”. The FDA accused […]
Read More