6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • F E B R U A R U Y 2 0 1 8
On the Cover
Orthopedic surgeon Anthony
Hedley, MD, FACS, ignored the
dangers of surgical smoke until
his breathing became labored
and he was told he had 3 years
to live — 5 if he was lucky.
Today, after a double lung
transplant, Dr. Hedley is deter-
mined to make sure surgical
professionals understand the
life-threatening risks of using
electrocautery and laser devices
without evacuating the toxic
plumes the devices produce.
Cover design by Ethan Anderson
Photo courtesy of the
Hedley Orthpaedic Institute
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8 Editor's Page
Good Help Is Hard to Find
Dan O'Connor | Editor-in-Chief
12 Ideas That Work
• Medication lockbox improves drug security
• It's OK to 'CUS' in the OR
• Stick name tags on scrub caps
20 Coding & Billing
Yes, You Can Overturn Medical Necessity Denials
Tammy Timpton
24 Staffing
An Internship Program for New Surgical Nurses
Andine H. Gilmore, BSN, RN, CNOR
28 Business Advisor
Add-On Cases: Friend or Foe?
Bruce P. Kupper, MHA, FACHE
118 Product News
127 Behind Closed Doors
Laugh a Little
Paula Watkins, RN, CNOR
108 Sending Patients Home With Pain Pumps
Peripheral nerve catheters are your
secret weapon in the quest for prolonged
post-surgical pain control.
Jim Burger | Contributing Editor
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