Major changes at a facility such as reorganizing service lines or adding new ORs can be highly disruptive, cutting into productivity and potentially loss of revenue. What can OR managers do to avoid this situation? At Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, OR leaders were facing several simultaneous challenges: planning…

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The incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) is estimated to exceed 290,000 cases per year, and costs can range from $11,874 to $34,670 for inpatient hospital services. Studies have demonstrated a link between SSI rates and airborne bacterial counts in the OR. Some facilities have used trained observers to monitor…

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What began as an employee request to reduce waste and create a “greener” workplace has resulted in an international award for TRIA Orthopedic Center, Bloomington, Minnesota. By conserving materials and energy, the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) not only reduced its environmental impact, but also saved money. The initiative started with…

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A new tool is available to help OR leaders both develop their careers and prepare their successors to take over when they leave. An OR manager job analysis, released in September 2016, provides an evidence-based approach to building the careers of OR leaders, both novice and experienced. “It really helps…

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Here is a list of domains, with accompanying knowledge statements for the OR manager role, based on the job analysis conducted by Prometric, a test development and delivery company based in Baltimore. Examples or definitions for several knowledge statements appear in parentheses. Communication and relationship management -Negotiation techniques (win-win, building…

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Traditionally, nursing students have had little exposure to the perioperative setting, creating a challenge for OR leaders seeking to build the future workforce. How can they spark interest in the OR, if students haven’t experienced it? One way is for hospitals to partner with schools of nursing. Two innovative programs…

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Led by the National Patient Safety Foundation, the event has been held for the past 15 years. Putting patient safety in the limelight once a year is fine, but for healthcare providers, patient safety awareness needs to be a daily priority. To reinforce that notion, the Joint Commission on March…

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Here’s a question to ponder: If a dozen oranges went up in price as fast as healthcare prices between 1945 and 2009, what would they have cost in 2009? It’s the kind of question you might expect from someone interested in both healthcare and business. David Chin, MD, MBA, likes…

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