Smarter staffing, room utilization models improve the bottom line

Editor's Note

Running an efficient OR and meeting physicians’ expectations are two of the conundrums facing any perioperative services director or business manager on a daily basis. Several sessions at the 2018 OR Business Management Conference take on these thorny issues. Three success stories of particular interest will be presented on Wednesday, January 31:

• Implementation of a first come, first served management system at Sacred Heart yielded several notable improvements: An increase in utilization from 65% to 79% in non-cardiovascular ORs, a 50% decrease in overtime, and an 8% increase in volume. Presented by Glenn Doherty, MPH, LSSBB, director, perioperative and procedural business operations at Providence Health Care—Eastern Washington Region, and Tanya Drahos, senior Epic clinical support analyst at Providence St. Joseph Health.
• Overhauling the booking policies and procedures at Niagara Health boosted surgeon blocks and room utilization by 25% and 9%, respectively. Presented by Jean Paul Paraiso, MSc, MBA, perioperative business manager, Niagara Health, and Patty Welychka, RN, CHE, clinical services director, perioperative services/executive lead and CNO, Welland and Port Colborne Sites, Niagara Health.
• Figuring out appropriate staff ratios and filling vacancies as quickly as possible was projected to save $2 million annually at the Cleveland Clinic—along with reduced overtime, which increased staff satisfaction. Presented by Cory Guy, CPA, MBA, finance manager, and Jacob Runion, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR, director of nursing, both at the Cleveland Clinic.