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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 O N L I N E | J U N E 2 0 1 5
W
hen we expanded our surgery center from 6 to 8 ORs, we
also included some flexible space in the plan — namely,
dual-purpose pre-op/recovery bays — to improve our
workflow efficiency. During the renovation, we built out 11 bays dedi-
cated for pre-op
patients as well
as 10 for recov-
ery. Five more
bays located
between those
areas were
designed to
accommodate
either part of
the process: for
pre-op use in
the morning,
when we could see several blocks of short cases being prepared at
once, or easily converted to recovery beds in the afternoon, when
more cases are winding down. Since our state maintains different
medical gas requirements for pre-op and recovery bays, we construct-
ed them all the same. We can also use the extra bays for turning over
stretcher-beds between cases or conducting EKGs, labs and pre-
admission tests so as not to tie up OR or procedure room space.
Ronald Bullock
The San Antonio (Texas) Orthopaedic Group
rbullock@tsaog.com
BAY WATCH
Bays Go From Pre-op to Post-op
P r a c t i c a l p e a r l s f r o m y o u r c o l l e a g u e s
I D E A S T H A T W O R K
The
San
Antonio
(Texas)
Orthopaedic
Group
z DUAL-PURPOSE BAYS Flexible patient bays
can easily adapt to the day's scheduling demands.
