Impacting the Stigma

Stigma is a major barrier to people getting the support they need for substance use disorders. People who are struggling with addiction often feel ashamed and isolated, and they may be afraid to seek help because they don’t want to be judged. This stigma can also affect family members, who may feel like they are to blame for the addiction or that they will be judged if they talk about it.

We need to do more to normalize the idea of addiction and to make sure that people know that they are not alone. We also need to make sure that there are accessible and affordable resources available to people who need help.

Recent Episodes

Sterile processing departments are dealing with persistent operational pressures. Surgical case volumes are rising, instruments are more complex, and staffing shortages remain across many health systems. Accuracy and documentation requirements continue to tighten, leaving little room for error. In busy hospitals, sterile processing teams may handle 10,000 to 30,000 surgical instruments per day, with…

Unannounced surveys are no longer the exception in healthcare—they’re the norm. Accrediting bodies increasingly expect sterile processing departments (SPDs) to demonstrate consistent compliance, real-time documentation, and reliable adherence to manufacturers’ instructions for use on any given day, not just during audit season. Joint Commission survey data continue to show that high-level disinfection and sterilization practices…

The Rothman Index, developed by Dr. Michael Rothman and his brother Steven, is a pioneering patient acuity score designed to help clinicians recognize patient deterioration earlier and more clearly. Presented as an easily understood, color-coded graph that updates in real time, the Index displays upward and downward trends in patient condition at a glance—transforming…