Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Double the work, to increase efficiency?

Right in time for the huge increase in "I met my deductable and want my surgery now season", the medical center decided to implement a new computer charting system in the ORs to increase efficiency and decrease costs. So far it has caused every case to run late and a has caused the hospital to double the circulating nurse staffing. The system is supposed to help the OR be more efficient by not only charting but by tracking all the supplies, meds, implants etc. The only ones who can enter data in the system are the circulating nurses. So here is the problem. The circulating nurse is the one who is there to make sure the patient is safe and the surgery runs smoothly. So, now the circulating nurse has to sit infront of the computer, away from the patient and enter page after page of data. We still need a circulating nurse to do what the circulating nurse is suppose to do, so guess what? We now have to have two in each room. One to actually take care of the patient and one to take care of the computer. Thats increasing efficiency and decreasing costs!

4 comments:

SeaSpray said...

At first I felt scared as a patient who could potentially end up in the OR dependent on the efficiency of the circulating nurse but was relieved to hear that they bring in a second one.

I must admit that the cost effectiveness/efficiency of that program does escape me though. ?

You should ask the person responsible for implementing this program to please explain it's value in cost effectiveness and efficiency. It might be either fun and or satisfying to sit back and watch them as they attempt to justify it.

I think this is where staff has to speak up and not let the people who don't work in the trenches continually implement things that hinder the real work at hand. But I think everyone is just so busy doing what they have to do and keep up with added responsibilities and communication suffers and so more things are added and so the cycle continues.

On the upside.. does this mean they hired a new nurse? Hiring is always a good thing in this economy. :)

Ryan said...

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SeaSpray said...

Hi Throckmorton - I know this is off topic but since you've mentioned you do research and that statistics, etc were drummed into you when growing up and I assume accuracy counts .. I can't help but wonder what you think of what is being dubbed "Climategate"?

http://www.joeseales.com/2009/12/02/the-harry-read-me-file/

I'm not surprised ..but one would think ***all media*** would be all over this because this is a ***huge*** story!

Even if it were a hoax, you would think they'd be wanting to find out the TRUTH whichever way it lies. ???

Is it normal for scientists to squelch the truth? Wait..actually I think you mentioned that in one of your earlier posts ..that evidence can be skewed.. although I don't recall if you meant intentionally.

But all this green stuff that is costing so much money, and jobs... preventing us from using our natural energy resources and threatens to tax the heck out of us and companies... if it's a hoax..we should KNOW this and stop this nonsense.

Just like with Watergate..every news organization should be hammering away at this demanding the facts, hearings, etc.

SeaSpray said...

P.S. Frankly ..I could care less about the Tiger Woods incident..leave the guy/family alone and find out about this data raping regarding the climate/green movement!

Where are the priorities here?