Hospitals that perform bronchoscopies can reduce readmission rates by more than half, and potentially lower costs, by adopting single-use flexible bronchoscopes.

That’s according to a new abstract that was submitted and presented at the recently completed CHEST 2021 annual meeting. The study examined the health outcomes of more than 14,000 patients who underwent a bronchoscopy procedure and found that sterile, single-use bronchoscopes reduced the readmissions rate 53 percent, from 7.7 percent to 3.6 percent, compared with reusable bronchoscopes.

Dr. Hudson Garrett joined Endoscopy Insights to discuss the findings. In our conversation, he talks about why readmission rates are such an important performance metric for hospitals, the key clinical findings he identified in looking at this data, and the larger quality-of-care and patient safety conversations taking place in healthcare.

Garrett is an Ambu consultant.

Show notes:

• "Sterile, Single-Use Bronchoschope Reduces Associated Readmission Rates and Infection Risk: A Retrospective Clinical Analysis," CHEST Journal
• Bio: Dr. Hudson Garrett
• "Flexible Bronchoscopes and Updated Recommendations for Reprocessing: FDA Safety Communication" 
• Webinar: Reducing Readmissions Following Bronchoscopies (1.5 CE Credits)

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Endoscopy Insights is a podcast devoted to conversations with thought leaders in flexible and single-use endoscopy. In each episode we’ll explore the ways different clinical and technological innovations are moving the field of endoscopy forward.       

Endoscopy Insights is brought to you by Single-Use Endoscopy, part of the Ambu Learning Center. Ambu has been bringing healthcare solutions of the future to life since 1937.