How to improve outpatient first case starts
Editor's Note Improving first case on-time starts (FCOTS) in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) can improve overall efficiency. When the first case of the day starts on-time, it leads to a cascading effect that can prevent cancellations, improve patient satisfaction, and reduce stress for perioperative staff. It can also make…
Streamlining surgical workflow with better team communication
Effective communication is the foundation of patient safety in the modern surgical environment. Most surgical procedures depend on seamless collaboration among surgeons, nurses, surgical technologists, and anesthesiologists, and when communication breaks down, patient risk rises sharply. In 2024, the American College of Surgeons reported standardized surgical handoffs improved adherence to…
Session: Helping leaders uphold accountability, cultivate a positive culture to boost nurse retention
Editor's Note Hold everyone to the same standard, model the behavior you expect, and build trust through transparency—that is how OR leaders retain nurses and improve performance, according to this session’s panel that included Taneka Curtis, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, nurse manager-cardiac, transplant and vascular service lines, Hospital of the…
From checklists to culture: Practical steps for leaders to strengthen OR safety
The OR has a planned rhythm that relies on training, checklists, and teamwork to turn the complex surgical environment into an elegant orchestration that keeps patients safe. But efficiency and a climate of safety do not just happen—they depend on culture. When teams communicate openly, follow standards consistently, and feel…
State of the huddle: The barriers to and benefits of preop meetings
Complex problems do not always require complex solutions. Consider the surgical safety checklist. In 2020, more than a decade after the World Health Organization (WHO) started advocating that every hospital use the checklist, research from PSNET found that more than 90% of ORs in countries with a high human development…
Lean visual management board huddle helps improve performance
A visual management board is a communication tool that provides at-a-glance information about current process performance to help staff coordinate and guide their daily work and monitor ongoing improvement projects. Perioperative staff at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California, have a 20-minute weekly huddle at their Lean-based visual management board,…
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