Fast-track ENT days boost surgical volume, cut backlog at UCSF Benioff Children’s
Editor's Note Designating underused neurosurgery blocks for straightforward ENT procedures increased surgical volume and reduced wait times at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, according to a July 3 report from the Children’s Hospital Association’s 2025 Transforming Quality Conference. The initiative began in early 2024, when ENT leaders and surgical…
Study: Algorithm offers smarter OR scheduling under pressure
Editor's Note A robust scheduling model can significantly improve OR efficiency and stability when surgery and recovery times are unpredictable, according to research published in the journal Mathematics. Using a Genetic Algorithm for Robust Scheduling (GARS), the authors demonstrate a practical and computationally efficient method for minimizing makespan across a…
Oncology hospital boosts efficiency with real-time 4-hour staffing tool
Editor's Note An adult oncology specialty hospital has significantly improved staffing precision and fiscal accountability by replacing traditional 12-hour staffing assessments with a dynamic 4-hour model, according to a May 16 article in Oncology Nurse Advisor. The tool allows nurse leaders to match resources to fluctuating patient needs in near…
Bold moves in the OR: Perioperative leaders size up 2025 amid turbulent first quarter
Why reflect on the past? Reflection anchors strategy and revitalizes purpose. Since the start of the year, the economy has been unstable, regulations have been in flux, and the livelihood of many is being put through grueling tests. But reflecting on the triumphs of past years shows that under the…
Study: Longer shifts, understaffing increase nurse sickness absence
Editor's Note Hospital units with more RNs and fewer long shifts experience significantly lower rates of staff sickness absence, while understaffing and long shifts drive nurse illness, according research published April 22 in JAMA Network. The retrospective longitudinal case-control study involved 18,674 RNs and nursing support (NS) staff across 116…
Introducing New Leader Toolkit: Your guide to OR leadership success
Editor's Note Stepping into a leadership role in the OR is both exciting and demanding. From budgeting and performance metrics to staffing and scheduling, there is a lot to navigate right from day one. To help new leaders step into their roles with confidence—and to offer fresh insights for seasoned…
Session: Hoisting the Sails—Winning Strategies for Growing Service Lines in an ASC
Editor's Note In this session, Deb Yoder, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, CASC, vice president of facility development, Compass Surgery Partners, provided a comprehensive overview of selecting, implementing, and managing service lines in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) while considering factors such as block time utilization, staff readiness, equipment needs, financial viability,…
Session: Modernizing OR Scheduling—How Northwell Health Streamlined Block Management
Editor's Note Driving efficiency in perioperative scheduling requires a combination of the right technology, cross-team collaboration, and a commitment to change management. This was among the primary takeaways of an OR Business Management Conference session on Northwell Health's approach to optimizing operating room (OR) workflows. Adam Becker, MPA, assistant vice…
Tardiness policies fine-tune rural OR reform efforts
When a speaker at a recent conference asked if anyone had achieved a first-case on-time start (FCOTS) rate above 90%, Jay Parker, BSN, RN, could have been the only one in the room with his hand up. However, Parker was not inclined to call attention to himself. As director of…
No construction required—AI uncovers system-wide capacity
Amid rising demand for surgical procedures, improving perioperative operations is a pressing priority for any hospital. For a system serving one of the fastest-growing counties in the US, it becomes an operational imperative. This is the case for WakeMed Health & Hospitals (WakeMed). With ORs spread across multiple facilities in…
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