Hospital leaders are stretched to the max in daily planning and management of resources, leaving little time to plan for the surge in surgical cases that will come after coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions on elective surgery are lifted. How hospitals decide which cases to take, how to prioritize patients and doctors, etc. will be difficult to coordinate. Sullivan Healthcare Consulting (SHC) has ideas for how surgical staff can prepare for re-entry and streamline operations.
SHC Senior Vice President Gerry Biala, RN, MS, CNOR, CSSM shares how hospitals are currently preparing for post-COVID-19 surgical care.
“I am now working with two clients developing their re-entry plans after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. We have started the development of clear guidelines for scheduling cases, and prioritization algorithms based on clinical needs, staffing, and other key resources, such as supplies. Yesterday, I participated in a webinar that spoke to these plans just being initiated in several organizations. The American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) are currently working collaboratively to develop more guidelines on this topic.”
SHC Launches Rapid Post-COVID-19 Management Program
Our team has developed the Rapid Post-COVID-19 Management Program to accommodate the backlog of elective surgical cases when restrictions resulting from the pandemic are lifted. Our perioperative experts can assist with the following:
- Provide an analytical review of the anticipated backlog and options for increasing capacity
- Work with ambulatory surgery center (ASC) facilities to improve patient throughput and utilize available capacity
- Develop short-term expanded coverage plans
- Adjust scheduling management and block policies to provide clear direction to OR management and surgeons
- Identify key resources required to meet demand
- Assist with manpower planning and tactics
- Incorporate recommendations emerging from the ACS, AORN, and other professional associations
Additionally, this program can be completed on a virtual platform not requiring travel.
Learn more about our Rapid Post-COVID-19 Management Program here.
Assessing Demands Across Surgical Specialties
We are prepared to provide assistance to busy healthcare leaders to assess what these demands look like across all of the organization’s surgical specialties and develop management plans including resources required to meet this demand. Many SHC clients are already taking advantage of this time to implement changes to schedule management to better serve patients, surgeons, and organizations beyond this event.
Contact our team today to discuss the Rapid Post-COVID-19 Program in more detail and how it could benefit your hospital.
Sullivan Healthcare Consulting offers a full range of perioperative, sterile processing and healthcare consulting services. Our experts have an in-depth understanding of industry standards and best practices to maximize the strategic goals of your hospital.