DECEMBER COVER STORY
Accreditation: What Leaders Need to Know in 2026
Accreditation is one of the most important responsibilities of hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), helping ensure the highest levels of healthcare quality and patient safety. There are three main independent accrediting bodies: The Joint Commission, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and QUAD A (formerly known as the AAAASF).
CORPORATE PROFILE
[Sponsored] Corporate Profile: Innovative Medical Products (IMP)
Specializing in surgical patient positioning, Innovative Medical Products, Inc., covers all these advancements. The positioning equipment provides another “pair of hands” to increase efficiency and convenience for the surgeon and surgical team.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Joint Commission International Launches Global Patient Safety Awards
Joint Commission International (JCI) today launched the nomination process for its inaugural JCI Global Patient Safety Awards, which aim to recognize excellence in patient safety and healthcare quality efforts internationally, and stimulate global knowledge sharing...
ECRI Spins Out Healthcare Spend Management & Recall Management Solutions
Staritas established with growth investment from Accel-KKR to transform healthcare supply chain through data-driven intelligence ECRI has spun out its spend management and recall management solutions as an independent company, Staritas. Powered by investments from...
Seal Shield Launches Complete UV-C Sanitization Suite Featuring Vioguard
Seal Shield LLC, a global leader in hygienic medical-grade devices, has announced the launch of its complete UV-C sanitization solution suite at the AORN 2026 Global Surgical Conference & Expo in New Orleans, LA. Following its recent acquisition of Vioguard, Seal...
U.S. and UK Deepen Regulatory Cooperation on Medical Devices
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is stepping up its collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support faster access to safe and innovative medical technologies in the future for patients in both countries. The...
Baxter Showcases Recent Innovations at AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo 2026
Baxter International Inc. is highlighting recent additions to its Global Surgical Solutions and Patient Support Systems portfolios, as well as its broad Advanced Surgery portfolio of hemostatic and sealing agents, at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses...
SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight On: Colleen Becker Ph.D., MSN, RN, CCRN
When Colleen Becker was offered the opportunity to work as the Director of Perioperative Education for the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) in 2021, this fulfilled a passion for surgical education that had grown throughout her four-decade nursing career.
Spotlight on: Travis Tingle
Travis Tingle’s journey into perioperative nursing was inspired by his grandfather, who was a medic in World War II. “My grandfather was very influential in my upbringing,” Travis says. “I heard lots of stories growing up about his experience as a World War II medic so I knew I wanted a career in medicine.”
Spotlight On: Jamie Ridout, CNOR, NEA-BC, CASC
It’s funny how a chance encounter can alter the course of one’s life. After she graduated with her BSN from the West Virginia School of Nursing in 1993, Jamie Ridout was sitting with some fellow graduates at the Sigma Theta Tau induction ceremony. A woman she didn’t know asked Jamie if she could sit down next to her.
Spotlight On: Joanne Oliver-Coleman, MBA-HM, BSN, RN, CNOR-E
Joanne first became a registered nurse in 1962 after graduating from the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing. “There was a six-week tour through the operating room and that’s when I decided that perioperative nursing is what I really wanted to do,” she says.
Spotlight On: Pat Thornton
Next year, Pat Thornton will celebrate a milestone career achievement: Her 50th year in nursing. Pat’s career started in 1976 when she graduated from Clayton Junior College with her ASN and went to work as an RNFA private surgical nurse.
Spotlight On: Johnny Kotcher, CST, FA
It’s probably safe to say that very few if any perioperative professionals have had a career like Johnny Kotcher’s. Johnny’s perioperative journey started when he joined the Army in 1981 and scored well in healthcare and medical on the aptitude test.
PRODUCT SHOWROOM
Surgical Equipment Market Growth Continues
Grand View Research reports that the global surgical equipment market size was estimated at $18.37 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $31.58 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 9.54% from 2025 to 2030. Factors such as an increase in the incidence of lifestyle disorders that eventually require surgery, rising healthcare costs and large unmet surgical needs are mainly driving market growth.
Aesculap SQ.line KERRISON Bone Punches
As an industry leader in sterile processing and operating room solutions, Aesculap continues to raise the bar with its next generation of bone punches, SQ.line KERRISON Bone Punches. Designed specifically to meet the demands of spinal and cranial neurosurgery, SQ.line KERRISON Bone Punches help to ensure the surgeon and staff are equipped with a dependable and comfortable instrument.
SurgiSmoke Solutions Flamingo Funnel
SurgiSmoke Solutions is pioneering the future of operating room air safety through its hands-free smoke and bioaerosol capture technology. The Flamingo Funnel family of devices outperforms traditional smoke evacuation pens – removing nearly twice as much smoke – while offering a hands-free, non-obstructive footprint optimized for modern surgical workflows.
KODA Ideaworks HypoHolder
HypoHolder is an innovative needle safety device designed to reduce needlestick injuries during hypodermic needle handling in the operating room. Developed by surgical clinicians with decades of firsthand OR experience, HypoHolder addresses the highest-risk moments of hypodermic needle handling, including uncapping, recapping and temporary stabilization during procedures.
Kapp Surgical Inc. Cosgrove® Mitral Valve Retractor System
The Cosgrove® Retractor is a unique heart retractor designed and proven specifically for heart valve surgery. It provides surgeons with the greatest visualization of the operative field, plus exceptional and consistent exposure of the right and left atrium, tricuspid valve and mitral valve, for surgical repair or replacement, while reducing the need for surgical assistance.
Olympus Visera Elite III Platform
The VISERA ELITE III Imaging Platform is a compact, multispecialty imaging platform designed for laparoscopic diagnosis, treatment and video observation. Co-developed by SONY Olympus Medical Joint Venture, the Visera Elite III Platform integrates advanced imaging technologies into a software-driven platform that supports minimally invasive surgery in a wide range of specialties, including arthroscopy, colorectal, ENT, bariatric, thoracic, gynecological, urological, HPB transplant and general surgery.
ROSA ROSA Knee with OptimiZe
ROSA Knee with OptimiZe is a next generation robotic-assisted solution designed to support surgeon control, streamline workflow and enhance consistency in total knee arthroplasty. The system builds on the ROSA platform with intelligent planning tools, realtime tracking, and a simplified user interface that prioritizes efficiency and reproducibility.
OUT OF THE OR
Savvy Weeknight Family Meal
Because this time of year can be crazy busy, drive-thru meals can easily become the norm. While fast-food burgers may do the trick once in a while, they can get old quick if your family is eating them every other night. This quick and easy Baked Spaghetti can bring everybody back to the table and it won’t break the bank either.
One Type of Hidden Fat May Signal Greater Brain Risk
The effect of obesity on brain health may depend not only on how much fat is in the body, but also on the areas of the body where fat is stored, according to a study published in Radiology, the flagship journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Fiber’s Cultural Moment Exposes America’s Whole Grain Problem
Fiber may be having a cultural moment, but most Americans still aren’t getting enough of it – or fully understanding where it comes from. A new IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions of Fiber & Whole Grains finds that two-thirds of Americans say they either fall short on fiber or don’t know how much they consume, even as “fibermaxxing” trends across TikTok and Instagram, and experts forecast fiber as the “new protein.”
Go Beyond the Six-Pack Workout
When looking to strengthen one’s core, it is wise to go beyond the six-pack or flat abs image. A six-pack is the result of building a strong core. When it comes to fitness, the core deserves much more attention. The core is the foundation for all other movements.
Fixing the Invisible Crisis
Here’s something I’ve observed countless times. The most reliable person on a team carries way more weight than anyone realizes and eventually burns out. But nobody notices until it’s too late.
OR Today Contest Winner: April 2026
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