New schedule adds efficiency, bolsters caseload
Theoretical advantages exist for both block and nonblock scheduling. Facilities with enough space and staff may be able to schedule cases on the basis of patient and surgeon convenience, but that doesn’t work for facilities with less flexibility. At our facility, problems associated with first-come, first-served booking led to an…
Nurse leaders play pivotal role in implementing enhanced recovery programs
Frequently OR leaders are at the forefront of implementing enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols. They have the skills to facilitate implementation of ERAS and to dispel any misconceptions about it, says Donna Watson, MSN, RN, CNOR, FNP. Watson, director for Medtronic Health Systems Advantage in Boulder, Colorado, is an…
Research finds higher productivity in positive work cultures
Editor's Note A large and growing body of research demonstrates that not only is a cut-throat work environment harmful to productivity, but a positive environment leads to dramatic benefits for employers, employees, and the bottom line, the December 1 Harvard Business Review reports. Creating a positive and healthy culture includes…
Cost-effectiveness of enhanced recovery for colorectal patients
Editor's Note Enhanced recovery pathways are cost-effective compared with conventional perioperative management of colorectal patients, this study finds. Of 180 patients analyzed, mean length of stay was shorter (6.5 vs 9.8 days), return to work was quicker, and there was less care giver burden in the enhanced recovery group. The…
Researchers identify ways to reduce UTI rates
Three new studies on reducing urinary tract infections (UTIs) were reported at the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) conference in July. Researchers identified several process changes that, once implemented, brought down infection rates. Each study and its findings are described below. The S.T.O.P.…
Business managers: A small population with a big impact on quality and efficiency
The role of business manager continues to grow in teaching, but not community, hospitals, according to the 2015 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Fewer than a third (29%) of OR leaders report that their hospital has a business manager, and 70% of those managers work in teaching hospitals. Other highlights from…
Lean makes a clean sweep of the OR
Reducing room turnover time is a goal in many surgical services departments, and refining the cleaning process is one path to success. Implementing a Lean process improvement at our hospital helped us not only meet but exceed our targets for room cleanliness and cleaning time. A 73% average rate of…
Effect of music on OR performance
Editor's Note When surgeons listen to their preferred music, they’re more efficient at closing incisions, and their technique improves, this study finds. Researchers asked 15 plastic surgery residents at the University of Texas to perform layered closures on pigs’ feet. Half the resident worked in a silent OR and half…
Predictive modeling helps match resources with needs
Perioperative services is the key driver of a hospital’s performance. More than 68% of better performing hospitals’ revenue comes from perioperative services, and 60% of their margin is derived from the OR, according to Alecia Torrance, MBA, BS, RN, CNOR, senior vice president of clinical operations, Surgical Directions, Chicago. One…
Integrate systems to sustain gains from process change
Many organizations have reaped the benefits of adopting Lean concepts, such as greater workflow efficiency, staff engagement, and cost savings. After initial improvements are made, however, it can be hard to sustain the process changes over time. That was the case at Nemours A. I. duPont Hospital for Children in…
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