creative to find open slots in the schedule. Consider booking cases
during early morning hours, overlapping block times or asking sur-
geon partners to share a block.
We also overlap the beginning and ending times of procedures.
While the surgeon finishes a case in one room, an anesthesiologist is
in another placing a place a block in the next patient. The surgical
team also prepares the second room so the surgeon can begin operat-
ing as soon as he walks across the hall. This scheduling method elimi-
nates downtime between cases, improves overall efficiencies and
maximizes use of the surgical schedule.
Earlier this year, we were finally able to establish block times for
the four to five cases our surgeons perform each day. I'd hold off on
assigning blocks to surgeons until they become comfortable perform-
ing the procedures and prove they can bring in enough cases to war-
rant dedicated OR time.
Looking ahead
Launching an outpatient joints program requires plenty of hard
work, dedication and attention to detail, but you'll be rewarded with
a service line that has tremendous growth potential. We obviously
saw our case volume drop to zero during the COVID-19 outbreak,
but now that elective procedures are back online, we've been con-
tacted by new surgeons who are interested in moving their cases
from hospitals to our facility. Moving forward, we believe every sur-
gery center can benefit from surgeons who find the convenience and
clean environment a welcome option for their patients during the
pandemic and beyond. Now's the time to set your facility up to capi-
talize on that unexpected uptick in interest.
OSM
3 4 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A U G U S T 2 0 2 0
Total Joints, Totally Outpatient
On Nov. 13 during Virtual OR Excellence, Mr. DeConciliis and
colleagues will present a workshop about the ins and outs of
running a successful total joints program. Log in to learn about
how to optimize outcomes and increase profits in what contin-
ues to be one of outpatient surgery's hottest specialties. Visit
orexcellence.com for more information about the conference
and to pre-register for the virtual experience.
Mr. DeConciliis (gregd@bostonoutpatient.com) is the administrator at
Boston Out-Patient Surgical Suites in Waltham, Mass.
