Putting Data Into Action in the Operating Room Setting

Session
Surgical Services

Author
Aaron Kanne
Management Engineer
HCA TriStar Health Systems

Description
This presentation will show the audience an excel tool that HCA has developed to get surgical services data in the hands of those who need it most - the Operating Room directors. This easy to use tool in combination with an effective improvement methodology has shown great results for a system of 18 hospitals, and our ideas and concepts can work for you too!

Abstract
We all have data and reports out there that give us one piece of information or another, but how often is that data put to actionable use? HCA has developed an Operating Room excel tool that gives the Surgical Services directors the information they need to make concrete improvement decisions. The tool includes easy to use reports on First Case On Time Starts, Scheduling Accuracy, Primetime Utilization, and Physician Turnaround time, all broken down in easy to read and understand formats.

The OR Tool itself is, as its name indicates, just a tool. We at HCA have developed a methodology to use our OR Tool to drive change in our operating rooms. Our philosophy is simple, get the data in front of those who need it by defining clear, concise, and agreed upon metrics, set goals and targets for improvement, give the OR Directors a set of initiatives that can improve their metric performance, and let them get to work. A key part of any type of operations improvement project is to gain the buyin and support of administration, and we have worked hard to do that through accountability, monthly metrics reporting, and education sessions for Hospital Administrators.

Our division of HCA, TriStar Health Systems, spans all of Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Georgia. Our system includes 18 hospitals, spanning the spectrum from an average daily census of 6 to 450. With this wide range of size, it is easy for our directors and administrators to play the "I am different" card. By developing a set of proven initiatives and letting the directors decide on which would help them most, we have created an effective process improvement model, and our results speak for themselves.

Our Operating rooms have improved physician satisfaction, improved their efficiency metrics, and regained control of their operating room businesses. We believe that we have developed an effective improvement model, and we would like to share this with others.