OR managers might yearn for a past when a well-staffed team of experienced RNs and surgical technologists were committed heart and soul to their jobs, but it’s clear that idyllic time is gone, if indeed, it ever really existed. Most managers now face a triple threat in staffing trends, any…

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It is easy to overlook the sizable effort required to ensure that instrumentation and supplies are available to surgeons in the OR when needed, in the right amount, and in the right condition. Though sterile processing may not be the most glamorous element of a hospital or surgery center, it…

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Leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are seeing little to no growth in salary, even through most are experiencing higher surgical volumes, according to the OR Manager 2016 Salary/Career Survey. The average annual salary was $104,721, slightly more than the $102,051 in 2015, but the average total compensation was down…

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OR leaders continue to face increases in volume and staffing mobility, according to the 2016 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. The volume of surgical procedures in the past 12 months increased for slightly more than half of respondents (51%), compared to 43% in 2015. In terms of staffing, respondents noted…

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The interactive hybrid OR, which debuted at the annual OR Manager Conference in 2014, grows larger and more comprehensive each year. For 2016, representatives from more than 10 different companies will be on hand to answer questions, and product demonstrations will create a dynamic learning environment. The 2015 town hall…

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A recent survey administered by the annual OR Manager Conference team asked which topics respondents would like to see addressed during conference sessions. Several survey participants expressed interest in improving cross-departmental teamwork and developing competencies. This year, conference attendees will find plenty of help from sessions on preceptorship and mentorship,…

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Implementation of crew resource management training at a large academic medical center led to statistically significant improvements in 10 out of 12 dimensions of safety culture, according to surveys conducted before and after training took place. Crew resource management (CRM) is a systematic approach adapted from the airline industry to…

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Despite warnings of calamities, implementation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 on October 1, 2015, proceeded smoothly, with minimal impact on denied claims. In the fourth quarter of 2015, the percentage of Medicare claims denied was 10%, comparable to the preimplementation figure of 9.9%. But that doesn’t mean OR…

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