implemented a wellness program for surgeons. "Attitudes among surgi-
cal leadership are starting to change," says Dr. Nichol. "They want to
know how to keep surgeons productive for the next 40 years, rather
than having them burn out and break down after 20 years."
Dr. Nichol believes medical equipment companies must focus more
on addressing ergonomics in their product designs. Take surgical sta-
plers. "They're built for people with [size] seven-and-a-half hands," he
says. "Our female surgeons have to grab the stapler and fire it with
two hands."
Mechanically inclined OR staffers such as nursing assistants and
surgical techs could generate significant product ideas, according to
Dr. Nichol. "They watch surgery day in and day out, and a number
will come up with seemingly crazy ideas that actually could be great
solutions," he says. "But those people have no way to interact mean-
ingfully with manufacturers."
Dr. Nichol envisions summits that match vendors with product
development opportunities based on ideas generated in ORs. He says,
"If you could develop something where ideas can be harvested, where
people who come up with the ideas get credit for them and are partic-
ipants in the process and get a piece of the financial pie, a company
could come up with a solution that's applicable across all facilities."
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ately implemented. The role of the administrators is crucial in this.
While the time-honored belief was that pain was the price you
paid to be a great surgeon, a growing number of surgeons now
question that no-holds-barred work ethic. As the pool of
younger surgeons grows, they'll likely bring their cases to ORs
outfitted to address their ergonomic concerns. — Joe Paone