Tag: Scheduling and Utilization

Scrubs to startups: Nurse executive’s career reimagined through perioperative consulting

What happens when a veteran perioperative leader walks away from the 24/7 responsibility of hospital operations, but not from the work she loves? For Stephanie Davis, MSHA, RN, CNOR, CSSM, former vice president of surgical services at HCA Healthcare, it meant reshaping her role from full-time healthcare executive to expert…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
September 3, 2025
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Survey: Perioperative leaders adapt to supply strain, staffing pressure, ASC growth

Editor's Note Perioperative leaders are reshaping how surgical care is delivered, making pragmatic adjustments in the face of supply shortages, staffing constraints, and shifting surgical volume toward ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Together, the latest three OR Manager pulse polls reveal a profession managing high stakes with a mix of caution,…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
September 3, 2025
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Survey: 2025 business manager profile

Data and surveys

Editor's Note: This page is a companion page to the main article, "Survey: Staffing problems increase as surgical volume continues to rise."   Most OR leaders (81%) report having a business manager. Historically, fewer than half had this position (42% in 2024, 37% in 2023, and 43% in 2022). The…

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By: Cynthia Saver
September 1, 2025
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Robots reshape surgical services, part 1: Emerging tech, rising risks

Takeaways • Robot-assisted surgery (RAS) is now an option in many specialties and for adult and pediatric patients; RAS-related ethical issues include access and patient privacy. • Intuitive Surgical continues to dominate the marketplace, but many companies are working on expanding their range of options. • Some current trends and…

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By: Cynthia Saver
August 27, 2025
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Medicare Advantage patients see lower perioperative costs than traditional Medicare peers

Editor's Note Surgical episodes for Medicare Advantage (MA) patients cost less and used fewer resources than those for traditional Medicare (TM) beneficiaries, according to a JAMA Health Forum study published August 1. Researchers analyzed 1.18 million procedures performed on 1.11 million beneficiaries and found 30-day episode costs were 3.1% lower…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 25, 2025
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Leveraging technology to streamline ASC operations, optimize patient care

As we celebrate National ASC Month, it is worth recognizing how central ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have become to modern healthcare. Today, there are more than 12,000 ASCs across the US, including over 6,500 Medicare-certified facilities operating some 18,800 surgical suites. With over 80% of all surgical procedures being performed…

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By: Emily Spooner
August 19, 2025
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OR Business Management Summit chair outlines data-driven strategies for financial, operational success

Although hospital performance from January to April 2025 outpaced the first 4 months of 2024, according to Kaufman Hall’s June 2025 “National Hospital Flash Report,” many surgical departments remain under intense financial pressure. Labor and supply costs continue to rise, while surgical services are especially vulnerable to inefficiencies like labor…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 16, 2025
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July poll results: Perioperative leaders are tackling labor costs, staffing flexibility

Perioperative leaders often have to make critical decisions, not just in the middle of an operational crisis but also somewhere in the edges—the routine but still high-stakes moments where leaders need to adjust resources or absorb costs under tight constraints. The economic margin for error continues to narrow, and many…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
July 31, 2025
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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…

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By: Matt Danford
July 24, 2025
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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…

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By: Matt Danford
July 21, 2025
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