Dr. Takuo Aoyagi invented pulse oximetry in 1974. Pulse oximeters are widely used worldwide, most recently making headlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Aoyagi passed away on April 18, 2020, aware of the significance of his invention, but still actively searching for the theory that would take his invention to new heights. Authors: Katsuyuki Miyasaka, […]
The COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist works to keep surgical teams and patients safe from infection during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist French COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist Spanish PDF Downloads: English / French / Spanish / Plain Text In the spirit of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist, the COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist is a simple tool to promote teamwork and communication in […]
This study found a high cancellation rate, most attributable to late start times leading to delays for the remainder of cases, and lack of preoperative patient preparation. In a setting with a high unmet burden of surgical disease, operating room (OR) efficiency must be maximized with improved patient evaluation workflows, adequate OR staffing and commitment […]
The ongoing, severe shortage of protective equipment and training gaps should be immediately remediated to prevent the loss of healthcare workers in lower-income environments, both from the virus and from the burnout resulting from chronically unsafe working conditions. Authors: Starr, Nichole MD, MPH; Capo-Chichi, Nina MBBS; Moore, Jolene MBChB; Shreckengost, Constance Harrell MD, PhD; Fernandez, […]
Aoyagi did not receive that honor in his lifetime but, this year, the ASA posthumously bestows its highest honor for a nonmember in recognition of work that has truly transformed not only the practice of anesthesiology but all of health care, and in doing so has touched the lives of billions. Author: Alexander Hannenberg, MD
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused worldwide shortages in N95 respirators, surgical masks, and other respiratory personal protective equipment, particularly for hospitals in low-income settings. Treatment with ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light is an affordable technology for the decontamination and reuse of N95 respirators in times of critical shortage. Optical engineers, physicists, and clinicians collaborated to develop an […]
In this quality improvement study, behavior changes associated with a multimodal surgical quality improvement program were persistent and, in some cases, continued to improve. This research details the results of a follow up audit conducted at seven hospitals in a cohort of 3,385 surgical patients six to eighteen months after completion of the Lifebox Clean […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained surgical systems worldwide and placed healthcare providers at risk in their workplace. To protect surgical care providers caring for patients with COVID-19, in May 2020 we developed a COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist (C19 SPC), including online training materials, to accompany the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist. In October 2020, […]
Like politics, all quality improvement is local, so a deep understanding of local context and circumstances is essential. As surgical and anesthetic services continue to expand, hospital-based surgical programs will need to engage more concertedly in research and quality improvement initiatives in order to decrease adverse outcomes and raise the quality and safety of surgical […]
This study has demonstrated the feasibility of using a WhatsApp chat group among a national society of anesthesia providers in Burundi to perform an initial abbreviated audit of anesthesia facilities. It also identified significant deficits in anesthesia equipment in Burundi. Authors: GC Sund, MS Lipnick, TJ Law, EA Wollner, GE Rwibuka
