Session: Modernizing OR Scheduling: How Northwell Health Streamlined Block Management

Editor's Note

Driving efficiency in perioperative scheduling requires a combination of the right technology, cross-team collaboration, and a commitment to change management. This was among the primary takeaways of an OR Business Management Conference session on Northwell Health's approach to optimizing operating room (OR) workflows. Adam Becker, MPA, assistant vice president, financial operations, perioperative services, and Colby Wilson, MBA, director of financial operations for perioperative services, detailed how the Northwell team transformed OR scheduling across multiple hospitals spanning more than 100 ORs handling 50,000 cases per year.   

The team’s primary objective was to transition away from outdated, fragmented scheduling methods (such as handwritten booking sheets and fax-based requests) and toward a more efficient, transparent digital process, the speakers explained. One key example was the implementation of a third-party scheduling and block time analytics software to replace manual workflows.

Another impactful strategy was embedding change management into the rollout. Prioritizing hands-on support helped to reduce resistance to changing traditional methods, the speakers reported. This included in-person visits to over 30 locations, meeting with more than 150 schedulers to ensure smooth adoption of the new digital booking system.

To tackle the persistent challenge of unused block time by introducing structured data-sharing and accountability measures, the team developed a physician-led “quarterback model.” As explained in the presentation, the idea was to encourage service line leaders to oversee block utilization and proactively manage releases. They also refined their block release policy, setting standardized auto-release deadlines and creating transparency around availability. As a result, block releases more than doubled.

Incentivizing earlier start times and strategic overbooking also paid off, the speakers reported. Surgeons were offered the opportunity to start cases at 6:30 am rather than the standard 7:30 am if they added an extra elective case. Additionally, Northwell began overbooking afternoon slots based on historical block utilization trends, ensuring that available OR time was maximized while maintaining operational efficiency.

These and other efforts have reportedly increased OR volume, particularly within robotics programs, while also improving operational efficiency. Since launch, an increase in approximately 4 inpatient cases per working day has been seen as well as a significant uptick in released block minutes and nearly 10% increase in block utilization.