For Hospitals
ApolloMD's approach to improving efficiency targets three major areas: On-time starts, turnover times, and OR utilization.
On Time Starts
On-time starts are affected by a multitude of factors. In order to eliminate surgical delays, a thorough preop process is necessary, along with appropriate scheduling, including the time needed to prepare the patient for surgery the morning of the procedure. At ApolloMD, we aggressively monitor the preop process to ensure that all patients are seen by a physician prior to their procedure. All inpatients are seen at least 24 hours before the procedure. We employ The Right Start Program, which ensures timely arrival of our anesthesia personnel, and streamline our communication process to minimize any confusion regarding daily assignments. Therefore, our providers are aware of the details of their cases for the day and can appropriately plan the needed preparation time.Additionally, ApolloMD's pay for performance model serves as a catalyst in creating a culture of productivity in the OR. Under our model, physician performance is optimized, as the physicians are rewarded based on the patients they see and the procedures they perform. This change in culture permeates throughout the department and improves all surgical processes, including increasing percentage of on-time starts and turnover times.
Turnover Times
The turnover process is integral to the efficiency of the OR and can lead to increases in available OR time which allows increases in volume. We have found success in this area by instituting and leading a Process Improvement Team. On a weekly basis, ApolloMD's Anesthesia Team Leader and the OR managers and/or schedulers meet to review the upcoming week's schedule and ensure that the department is operating at peak performance; changes may be made to further promote efficiency.
