OR Manager - June 2020 - 18

OR business
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ers are responsible for maintaining
the equipment and non-transportationrelated
repairs; however, these costs
are often lower as the total number
of items in the equipment fleet is reduced
by sharing.
Dr Rothenhaus says the company
has a 98.89% completion rate without
a major incident, such as case cancellation
or equipment that arrives broken,
and Dr Loo says there have not
been any significant issues at KP-SC.
The goal is to share equipment
safely and efficiently, Dr Rothenhaus
notes.
Safety. Safety refers to both patients
and equipment, and Dr Rothenhaus
divides the components into
preparation, logistics, and quality assurance.
Preparation includes inventory.
Rebekah Ketchem, BSN, RN,
nurse manager of surgical services for
Saint Francis, says Cohealo completed
a comprehensive equipment inventory,
which included tagging the equipment
and determining the best way to move
items. Equipment may be delivered directly
to the OR, or it may arrive in the
biomedical department, with that staff
completing the delivery.
Logistics include the actual move
and staff alerts about the status of
the move. " Each piece of equipment
needs an owner at both ends, " Dr
Rothenhaus says. The Cohealo software
tracks several details related
to equipment use, including provider
equipment preferences, accessories
(such as goggles for lasers), power
needs (some equipment requires 220
volt power, which a hospital might not
have), staff training, and surgeon credentialing.
This robust information promotes
safety.
Ketchem notes that equipment
moves are seamless and typically
happen outside normal OR operating
hours. Dr Rothenhaus adds that it's
important to adhere to original equip18
OR
Manager | June 2020
ment manufacturer (OEM) standards
when moving devices. " We make sure
we meet OEM standards and the hospital's
standards, " he says.
Quality assurance includes ensuring
a " chain of custody " as the equipment
is transported through the system,
obtaining feedback from borrowers,
and conducting periodic audits of the
transport process.
Efficiency. Efficiency requires lenders
such as Cohealo to track inventory,
utilization, and distance. " Borrowers
want to have the right equipment
at the right location at the right time, "
Dr Rothenhaus says. Herdman notes
that Cohealo is connected electronically
to the surgery schedule so the
company can anticipate equipment
needs, automatically reserving equipment
based on the schedule. " If a
medical center doesn't have that device,
[Cohealo] will find it at the next
closest medical center and reserve
it, " Dr Loo says. This type of dynamic
sharing maximizes results compared
to a " milk run " approach, where equipment
is rotated on a set schedule.
Dr Loo points out that there are a
finite number of surgeons and operations,
so the system can learn needs
and preferences. " It's a way to keep
track of everything without needing an
army of human beings to coordinate, "
he says, adding that staff at Cohealo
are available by phone and email to
address last-minute needs. In addition,
significant time buffers are built
in to account for cases that are longer
than expected.
Dr Rothenhaus recommends that
organizations track outcomes such as
reduced rental volume and purchases
made with money saved through sharing.
He suggests starting with a few
pieces of equipment, and building
from there. Dr Loo says Cohealo provides
utilization reports to facilitate
decisions about capital purchases.
" You can look at your entire fleet of
equipment and know if you need to replace
something or make a purchase, "
he says.
A winning combination
Dr Loo points out that the healthcare
industry can be averse to change, so
he appreciates how receptive different
stakeholders have been to the idea of
sharing. " It's been a win for the stakeholders
using the equipment, a win for
finance, and a win for patients, who are
getting the best possible technology. "
" I was a little skeptical in the beginning,
but it's worked out well, "
Herdman says. " Equipment is moved
smoothly, and our last-minute needs
are taken care of, too. " She and
Ketchem agree that sharing is a way
to ensure optimal utilization-a goal of
every OR manager. ✥
Cynthia Saver, MS, RN, is president of
CLS Development, Inc, Columbia, Maryland,
which provides editorial services
to healthcare publications.
Reference
Rothenhaus T. The art of sharing:
Maximizing perioperative equipment
utilization. OR Business Manager
Conference. 2020.
www.ormanager.com
Equipment such as lasers, specialty OR beds,
and imaging machines can be shared.
http://www.ormanager.com
OR Manager - June 2020

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