It's almost a given that every operating room has inefficiencies, whether in the form of quality improvement or throughput. In today's world, how can ORs utilize technology to improve their processes and see measurable results?
During a presentation at the Becker's Hospital Review 5th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, Peter Doerner, executive vice president and chief development officer of North American Partners in Anesthesia, and Rafael Cartagena, MD, regional director of NAPA and medical director of the OR at Richmond, Va.-based Henrico Doctors' Hospital, spoke about how to do so.
Hand-washing compliance
When ORs are tested for compliance, everyone on staff changes their behavior. But shortly thereafter, "everyone goes back to the way they were before," Mr. Doerner notes.
Approximately eight years ago, NAPA was working to improve hand-washing compliance in a hospital that's part of Great Neck, N.Y.-based Northwell Health. NAPA put a single camera by a hand-washing station in the hospital's OR and left it there for about seven weeks. The camera showed staff maintained a compliance rate of a meager 10 percent. After the base period, NAPA put up a display board that showed OR staff members their hand-washing compliance rate. Shortly thereafter, the compliance rate shot up to nearly 90 percent and remains at the same percentage today.
Improving throughput
NAPA did the same thing to improve another OR's throughput. Between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., the OR's turnover time was 15 minutes. By 1:00 p.m., the turnover time had increased to 30 minutes. The time-in and time-out compliance was between 50 and 60 percent. NAPA installed cameras in the OR to capture the staff's in and out times. Though the images were blurred, NAPA had real-time images and feedback to offer the staff about improving their throughput. "Immediately things improved," says Mr. Doerner. "Nothing was punitive and there was no discipline — it was all providing feedback."
Without such explicit feedback, ORs wouldn't be able to improve their quality and in-and-out times. But the use of technology-based feedback also provided another added benefit. "The other thing that happened with this [feedback] is there was an improved ability to reduce costs," Mr. Doerner says.
Guaranteeing on-time payments
Similar tactics can be used to ensure patients make their payments on time. "How do we get that money from the patients?" asks Dr. Cartagena. "We've been piloting…tablet-based systems. We're making it technologically convenient for people to [pay]."
NAPA demonstrated how technology-based approaches for compliance, throughput and payment can have measurable results. But they couldn't be utilized as well if it weren't for strong nurse, administrative and physician leaders, as well as other vital partnerships. "Having a good, solid partner to help implement the processes is key," says Mr. Doerner.