Currently, the American College of Surgeons possesses a number of different verification processes to recognize exceptional patient care. The trauma category contains both adult and pediatric categories — each with its own stringent standards programs must meet in order to be considered, let alone approved.
For patients with severe obesity and related health issues, like diabetes and advanced cardiovascular disease, bariatric surgery is an increasingly popular option. Now, new guidelines are recommending the procedures become available to more patients who may need them. “An important misconception — and consideration — is that bariatric surgery is…
For the past several decades, the standard of care for patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis included early elective surgery with the goal of averting the need for an emergency procedure and potential colostomy. Now, with the goal of improving patients’ quality of life, the COSMID (Comparison of Surgery and Medicine on…
Among the possible complications for most cardiac surgical procedures, dysphagia, or trouble swallowing, is one of the most common. The condition can affect patient nutrition, lead to dehydration, and even cause aspiration pneumonia. And, though the latter is a major cause of mortality, it is preventative — with the right…
A patient’s postoperative length of stay is dependent on many factors — treatment complexity, resources, patient characteristics and more. Now, Melinda Phillips, APRN, and team are turning towards multimedia education mediums to help cardiovascular surgery patients feel confident in their postoperative recovery — and go home sooner. Part of the…
For patients in the ICU who waver between life and death, adhering to necessary — and rigorous — medical treatment plans is a priority. But occasionally, between the frequent movements and different procedures, other markers of recovery can fall behind — like nutrition. After completing the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program…
First, they save a life. Then, they do their best to make it a good one. For physicians and providers at the UF Health Shands Burn Center, ensuring a patient survives the incident that led to their admission is only the first step. Increasingly, they’re setting the goal posts further…
Despite a push for sustainability and mindful use of surgical resources across the profession, operating rooms can contribute up to 70% of total hospital waste. By designing a targeted intervention around the average costs per surgery, researchers from the UF Department of Surgery sought to drill down the reason for…
The intestinal microbiome is involved in bidirectional communication with the brain and undergoes significant changes following traumatic brain injury (TBI) as well as following stress.
Follow-up with computed tomography (CT) imaging surveillance after curative-intent therapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be life-saving if it detects early recurrence or second primary lung cancer.
