Infection Prevention: Global Challenges & Local Solutions
Despite the many amazing advancements in modern medicine, surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a problem for hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) nationwide.
Spotlight On: Katelynn Vaughan
Almost any OR nurse can tell you about the lack of exposure to perioperative education in most nursing schools. Katelynn Vaughan is determined to do something about this.
Dive Into Healthy Eats with Mediterranean-Inspired Dishes
Warm weather offers a perfect opportunity for a meal reset inspired by the vibrant flavors and traditions of the Mediterranean.
Continued Growth Expected for Wound Care Market
The U.S. wound care market was valued at $8.63 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.11% from 2024 to 2030, according to Grand View Research.
NEWS
Early Alert: Anesthesia Machine Issue from Draeger Inc.
CDRH is issuing this Early Alert to notify the public of a potentially high-risk device issue. The FDA will keep the public informed and update this web page as significant new information becomes available. Affected Product The FDA is aware that Draeger, Inc. has...
Walter Reed Uses 3D MAC Imaging to Improve Precision Care
Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Roan Smith BETHESDA, Md. | Inside a quiet lab at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, engineers and clinicians are reshaping how surgeons prepare for some of the hospital’s most complex procedures by working one layer at a...
VisualVault to Showcase Solutions at HIMSS
VisualVault, a provider of digital information and patient data management solutions, will exhibit at the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exposition, March 9-12 at the Venetian Expo Center in Las Vegas, NV. VisualVault’s presence will be based within the...
Texas Health Announces New Hospital Coming to North McKinney
As part of its ongoing pledge to meet North Texas’s rapidly growing needs, Texas Health Resources plans to build a new hospital and medical campus in north McKinney, a major step in its continued investment in expanding and elevating care across the region.
Altera Digital Health to Showcase Human-Centered AI and EHR Advancements
Altera Digital Health will exhibit at the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2026 Global Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 9-12, 2026. Altera subject matter experts will deliver several educational theater sessions on key topics such as...
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Powering the Future: Emergency Power Options for Ambulatory Surgery Centers
It is a familiar scene during a survey: a surveyor asks to review the generator test logs. The administrator proudly presents the binder, explaining that their facility’s emergency power system runs on natural gas rather than diesel. The surveyor nods, flips through the pages, and asks, “Can you show me how you document your monthly testing?” A pause follows. The documentation looks different from what most surveyors expect, and that’s where uncertainty begins.
AAMI Accepting Nominations for 2025 Awards
AAMI is pleased to announce that the application cycle for the 2025 AAMI Awards has officially begun. These awards are AAMI’s way of recognizing its community for what it is – a vibrant set of professionals, scientists, and advocates who support the safe and effective use of health technology.
Are You Trading Efficiency for Safety in Your ASC?
It’s an exciting time for ambulatory surgery centers. ASCs have become central to the healthcare delivery system, and the market is ripe for innovation and growth. Outpatient facilities that provide surgical services offer patient satisfaction through lower costs and shorter stays. Providers gain efficiency and increased throughout.
The Potential Benefits of a Unique Nurse Identifier (UNI)
My inspiration for these monthly column comes from unexpected sources. A recent news release from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NBCSN) regarding a Unique Nurse Identifier, or UNI, prompted this article.1 This UNI, specific to an individual American nurse, already exists in the NCSBN records although many of us know very little about the concept.
AAMI Adds EO to Materials Compatibility Guidance
Whether a material is compatible with different sterilization methods is a serious concern for medical device manufacturers and sterile processing professionals. After all, cleaning or sterilization should not damage medical products. Newly updated AAMI guidance...
SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight On: Ashley Bartholomew, BSN, RN, CNOR, ONC, OR Circulator, OrthoVirginia, and Director of Nursing, GreenLink Strategies
Ashley Bartholomew’s road to a career in perioperative nursing started out in an unusual place: as a dental technician while serving in the U.S. Air Force at just 18 years of age. While stationed overseas in Japan, she got to scrub in and assist in oral surgeries at the Navy hospital. “This inspired me to want to be an operating room nurse,” she says.
Spotlight On: Hannah Miller, RN, BSN
By Matt Skoufalos When Hannah Miller began studying for a career in health care at the University of California-Santa Cruz, she didn’t anticipate that career would be nursing. Miller, who’s about two years into her professional life as a staff and charge nurse at Good...
Spotlight On: Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO
By Matt Skoufalos After more than 40 years in the field of nursing, Vangie Dennis has earned an armful of educational achievements: she’s a registered, master’s degreed nurse, a certified perioperative nurse, and a certified medical laser safety officer. Dennis puts...
Spotlight On: Lindsey Jones, RN, BSN, CPN, CHPPN
By Matt Skoufalos At six, Lindsey Jones’ son, Tyler, started coming home from school with bruises. Jones, a preschool teacher, decided to follow up with her family pediatrician. Not long after, they were referred to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St....
Spotlight On: Tom Catena
Tom Catena has dedicated the last 20 years of his life working as a medical missionary in Africa. Nine of them he spent amid almost ceaseless civil conflict in war-torn Sudan, and for almost all 20, he’s lacked the resources and infrastructure that most Western...
PRODUCT SHOWROOM
Cabinet & Cart Market Growth Continues
Market Research Intellect reports that the medical cabinets market is set to achieve $158.39 billion by 2031, propelled by a strong CAGR of 6.34% between 2024 and 2031. This growth can be attributed to the rising adoption of medical cabinets. The increasing need for efficiency and the introduction of innovative products are further propelling market expansion.
Aesculap SQ.line Surgical Instruments
As one of the world’s largest suppliers in surgical instruments, Aesculap continues to raise the bar for how surgical instruments perform. Designed with the end user in mind, SQ.line Surgical Instrument enhancements go beyond performance in the OR. SQ.line Surgical Instruments are designed to offer improvements in ergonomics, sterilization capabilities, grip and repair.
Cincinnati Surgical Swann Morton Reusale Handles
Swann Morton scalpel handles are designed for precision and reliability in surgical procedures. Manufactured to ISO 13485, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001 standards, they ensure a precise fit with Swann Morton surgical blades, maintaining consistency in performance.
KAPP SURGICAL MICHLER Heart Vent Catheter (MHVC)
The MHVC is a soft balloon-tipped catheter. It is inserted through the open left atrium during mitral valve surgery or through the right superior pulmonary vein on the beating heart and across the mitral valve into the left ventricle. Uniquely, the device is securely positioned and maintained in the LV by inflating a soft positioning balloon against the mitral annulus/valve.
Medline Steriset Sterilization Containers
Medline’s Steriset Sterilization Containers are unique to the market, and the 100% reusable, filter-free, auto-locking design helps eliminate the potential for human error that can compromise the sterility of instruments. The robust design of the Steriset container provides an extended life span, providing long-term, eco-friendly cost savings.
OR Today Magazine November 2022
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OUT OF THE OR
Cheesy Chicken in a One-Pan Solution
On those nights when you’re just too busy to think about cooking, let a one-pan dish do the work for you. Customize this Cheesy Spinach Chicken Bake to your family’s liking with broccoli or cauliflower in place of spinach, if desired, and let it bake while finishing homework with the kids or prepping for the day ahead.
Study & Online Tool Rank Community Factors that Predict Cancer Disparities
“For the four most prevalent cancers in the U.S. – breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancers – we now know that community conditions like tobacco use, air pollution, insurance coverage, housing and environmental mitigation are critical for understanding the cancer screening gaps, excess prevalence and preventable deaths that afflict many communities,” said Elizabeth Y. Rula, Ph.D., executive director of the Neiman Institute. “These maps bring this information together in an easy-to-use tool that can help leaders target interventions and resources where they can save the most lives.”
Diet & Movement Boost Heart Health
This month people can continue to focus on getting exercise or on their diet. Meanwhile, the best way to have a healthier heart is to consider how diet and movement work together to keep hearts healthier and reduce cardiovascular disease risks.
Study Reveals Alarming Number of Invasive Breast Cancers in Younger Women
A study of data from seven outpatient facilities in the New York region found that 20-24% of all the breast cancers diagnosed during an 11-year period were found in women age 18 to 49, according to research presented at the 2025 annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
OR Today Contest Winner: November 2025
Everyone likes FREE stuff and we want to hear from our readers! It is a win-win for everyone involved. Please take a moment to tell us what you like about OR Today magazine. PLUS you could win a $25 gift card!
Emotional Intelligence Redefined
The concept of emotional intelligence (EQ) has evolved considerably since psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer first coined the term in 1990. Their work laid the foundation for one of today’s most important ideas, but as with many new concepts, definitions get refined over time. And rightfully so.
Don’t Skip These Stretches
Movement is essential in our lives, bringing us various levels of experiences and challenges along the way. It helps us become the person we truly want to be. However, as we age with distractions all around us, finding time to get in quality movement can be difficult.
Buying Flowers May Boost Well-Being, Reduce Stress
The nationally representative study of more 8,500 consumers found people who purchased flowers in the past year were more likely to report feeling better at home and at work. They experienced improved mood, reduced stress and even better overall morale.
U.S. Resets Nutrition Policy
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030, marking the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades.
