A 2021 report by the Association of American Medical Colleges projects shortages of 15,800 to 30,200 in all surgical specialties by 2034. Driven by various factors, including the growing healthcare needs of an aging population, an aging surgical workforce—with many surgeons and nurses nearing retirement—and limited capacity in medical and…

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ORs are a key revenue driver for hospitals, with surgical services accounting for nearly half of hospital margins. Efficient use of OR time is therefore critical to sustaining and growing hospital revenue and profitability. Perioperative leaders face an ongoing challenge in optimizing OR utilization, however, because of the common mindset…

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The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified existing personnel shortages in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASC), which are anticipated to persist. Before the pandemic, nursing supply and demand were already affected negatively by several factors, including approximately 70,000 Baby Boomer RNs retiring per year. As the remaining Baby Boomer RNs retire over…

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Perioperative nursing, like any field, requires authenticity, honesty, and integrity for successful management. As perioperative represents one of the most challenging and demanding healthcare environments, patient-centered leadership is a must. This article previously published by OR Manager, titled "Words of wisdom: OR leaders offer tips for new managers," expands on…

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A previous issue of OR Manager included the article, "Building a business case for new technology," which featured tips from leaders at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on the importance of building a thorough business case for implementing new technology in the OR. With the next OR Business Management…

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The OR is the financial motor of a hospital. As such, inefficiencies in this space adversely impact patient safety as well as the financial stability of the hospital and/or healthcare system. The first case on-time starts (FCOTS) metric is one of the primary benchmarks for assessing OR efficiency. The following…

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Compensation is trending slightly higher for ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders, according to the 2023 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, with 68% of respondents reporting a total annual compensation of $120,000 or more, up from 50% in 2022 and 40% in 2021. However, higher wages are unlikely to sufficiently offset the…

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The healthcare industry as a whole has faced numerous and unprecedented challenges in the last few years. With each challenge compounded by external pressures, these proverbial spotlights illuminated existing vulnerabilities. The healthcare workforce, particularly nursing, continues to be one of the most impactful vulnerabilities. With the pandemic acting as a…

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