Compared to a tertiary hospital, resources can be tight and clinical expertise narrowly concentrated in a scaled-down facility such as a microhospital. “In the acute care setting, in most cases, you presume you’re going to have a full-fledged medical staff and most of the ancillary support services to get you through whatever condition rolls in,” says John A. Gillean, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at CHRISTUS Health. The microhospital’s “more limited scope” can leave staff scrambling to provide compliant care in unanticipated situations.

Although advances in technology have helped address the issue of retained surgical items, experts agree that communication and culture are key to reducing incidences.

The 2019 CRC Symposium Case Study Competition and the 2019 CRC Achievement Awards are two application-based contests that showcase excellence in the medical staff services and leadership fields. Winners, who will be selected by a panel of esteemed industry experts, will receive free admission to and recognition at the 2019 CRC Symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada.