OR Manager - February 2020 - 5

OR business
Technology acquisition
Continued from page 1
ing and trying to balance competing
demands, leaders often must decide
whether their capital budgets should
be used to replace aging equipment or
purchase new technology.
Rebecca
McKenzie,
DNP, MBA,
MSN, RN
Ulrich and Rebecca
McKenzie, DNP, MBA,
MSN, RN, assistant VP
for perioperative services
at Duke University
Hospital (DUH), partnered
with colleagues to
create a process map
for technology acquisitions
at DUH, which has
65 licensed ORs and is
a 957-bed, Level 1 trauma center (sidebar,
p 6).
In the first of two case studies related
to technology acquisition, OR
Manager presents advice and strategies
from leaders at DUH that can
be applied in other organizations. The
second case study, to be published in
the March issue, will reflect the experience
of OR leaders at HCA Healthcare
and Ocala Health.
In the center
The steps of the process map at DUH
encircle three key areas of the decisionmaking
process: Clinical quality, innovation/evidence-based
practice, and financial
viability.
McKenzie says leaders should start
by asking what problem the new technology
is intended to solve. The answer
often relates to clinical quality. For example,
will the new technology enhance
patient outcomes or increase the number
of lives touched with new clinical
programs? If the technology is intended
to improve patient safety, is there an
immediate risk with an existing technology?
Are there opportunities to leverage
efficiencies and reduce costs by
decreasing OR time and patient length
of stay?
To evaluate innovation/evidencebased
practice, consider the benefits
and drawbacks of being first in the
ADVISORY BOARD
Kathryn Adamson, MBA, RN, Independent
Consultant, Salt Lake City, UT
Amy L. Bethel, MPA, RN, NE-BC,
Independent Consultant,
UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, IA
Mark E. Bruley, CCE, FACCE,
EIT, Vice President Emeritus,
Accident & Forensic Investigation,
ECRI Institute, Plymouth Meeting, PA
Ellen Carpenter, BSN, RN, Director of the OR,
Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New
Hyde Park, NY
Michael A. Hofmann, BSN, RN, Regional
Director of Perioperative Services, Ascension
NE Wisconsin St Elizabeth Hospital/Fox
Valley Region, Appleton, WI
Natasha Luster, MSN, RN, CNOR, Nurse
Manager, Surgical Services, Premier
Health-Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, OH
Casey Orth-Nebitt, BSN, RN, CNOR, Director
of Surgery, Buena Vista Regional Medical
Center, Storm Lake, IA
Kaye Reiter, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Regional Vice
President, Surgical Services, University
of Colorado Hospital, UC Health Metro
Denver, Denver CO
John Rosing, MHA, FACHE, Executive Vice
President and Principal, Patton Healthcare
Consulting, Naperville, IL
Patricia C Seifert, MSN, RN, CNOR, FAAN
Independent Cardiac Consultant, Falls
Church, VA
Diane Skorupski, MS, RN, CNOR, NE-BC,
Vice President, Surgical Services,
Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL
David E. Young, MD, Medical Director,
Preanesthesia Testing, Advocate Lutheran
General Hospital, Chicago, IL
Being an early
adopter has
advantages but
also risks.
to implement a new technology.
" Being an early adopter is a significant
investment of time and clinical
resources, " McKenzie says. Technology
may not work as expected, and there
may be delays with implementation, or
hidden costs that may impact the project
timelines.
market
On the other hand, early adoption
may increase market share over the
competition and provide additional patient
volume. Hospitals can also leverage
first to market with the vendor for
cost-saving opportunities, particularly
when providing feedback for ongoing
product development.
McKenzie adds that technology may
have a " halo " effect. For example, patients
are very savvy about researching
treatment options, and those may influence
where they seek treatment. By
considering a portfolio of clinical treatment
options, patients and physicians
can determine the most appropriate
clinical pathway based on the specific
diagnosis.
Innovation also can play a key role
in recruiting and keeping top talent, including
surgeons, nurses, anesthesia
providers, and other staff. This is particularly
important at an academic medical
center like DUH, which is committed
to ensuring medical students and residents
are at the forefront of innovation.
Those assessing the new technology
should look beyond the literature provided
by the manufacturer. " You want to
review available research, not just white
papers provided by the vendor, " McKenzie
says, although she notes that there
may be limited published research on
Continued on page 6
www.ormanager.com
OR Manager | February 2020 5
http://www.ormanager.com
OR Manager - February 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OR Manager - February 2020
