Editor's Note A survey of general surgery residents in the US finds high rates of burnout. Of 665 residents surveyed, 69% met the criterion for burnout in at least one of three subscales. Higher rates of burnout on each subscale were reported by residents planning private practice compared with academic…
Editor's Note Using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s online toolkit, Communication and Optimal Resolution (CANDOR), Maryland-based MedStar Health has set up a standardized program for physicians to communicate with patients and family members about adverse events, according to the August 22 Kaiser Health News. A team of physicians,…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration and medical device manufacturers have made a deal on user fees companies pay to have the FDA review their products, the August 23 Mass Device reports. The Medical Device User Fee & Modernization Act IV will allow the FDA to collect nearly $1…
Editor's Note This study found a marked decline from 1998 to 2013 in surgical (open and laparoscopic) common bile duct exploration (CBDE) for choledocholithiasis (ie, bile duct stones). At the same time, the rate of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) increased and is becoming the predominant treatment strategy. The percentage of…
Editor's Note The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) on August 23 granted its mid-year 2016 Outstanding Achievement Award to 20 accredited US cancer programs. The purposed of the award is to: raise the bar on quality cancer care recognize programs that achieve excellence in providing…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 18 approved an expanded indication for the Sapien XT and Sapien 3 transcatheter heart valves for patients with aortic stenosis. The new indication is for patients who are at intermediate risk for death or complications associated with open-heart surgery. Previously,…
Editor's Note Professionalism education improved surgical resident understanding, awareness, and practice of professionalism in a significant manner in this study. A year-long professionalism curriculum was developed at New York University School of Medicine, New York City, which focused on challenges such as: admitting mistakes effective communication with colleagues at all…
Editor's Note The Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP) on August 22 unanimously recommended that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) remove total knees from its inpatient-only list, the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) reports. CMS is requesting information on the feasibility of removing total knees from…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 18 announced in its FAQ guidelines that the 1-year grace period for claims using the ICD-10 code set will end October 1. Healthcare organizations will be required to use the correct degree of specificity when coding claims. Unspecified…
Editor's Note Outpatient surgery for uncomplicated acute appendicitis is feasible, this study finds. A total of 240 patients were divided into intention-to-treat and per protocol (ie, no preoperative exclusion criteria) groups. There was also a subgroup of patients who were discharged to home the day before surgery. The success rate…
