At Ms. Thomas’ two-OR facility, which hosts orthopedics, podiatry, colorectal procedures and general surgery, the aim is to make teamwork instinctual. When a patient is brought into the OR, “everyone instinctively knows what to do,” she says. “Everything goes like clockwork.”
Ms. Thomas cites five ways her surgery center promotes teamwork among the 20-member staff.
1. Holding “team weeks.” Twice a year, usually at the same time as nurses week and OR nurses week, the ASC holds a team week for everyone. The currently all-female staff gathers for various light-hearted events, including free breakfasts, free donuts at a break or passing out small gifts, such as pens, perfumes or lotions.
2. Doing some reading. The whole staff has been reading “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews, a self-help book that buttresses the team approach. They read a chapter a month, write down answers to a few questions at the end of each chapter, and turn them in. “There is no right or wrong answer,” Ms. Thomas says. The next book may be “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen Covey.
3. Attending monthly meetings. All 20 members of the staff come to these meetings and are encouraged to raise issues and discuss them. People from the front desk, pre-op, OR and PACU share their thoughts.
4. “Unsung hero” award. This is a peer-initiated award given to a member of the staff who has gone above beyond expectations. In the past four years, about 30 or so awards have been given out. A few of them have even been given to housekeepers, who are not part of the full-time staff, and physicians. “It’s important that it comes from peers rather than administration so as not to incite jealousies,” Ms. Thomas says.
5. Teamwork for process changes. When a process is changed, such as altering a form, everyone needs to be aware of the change and understand each other’s role. Ms. Thomas makes sure everyone on staff knows about the change.
Learn more about St. Francis Mooresville Surgery Center.
Read more ideas for improvement in surgery centers:
– 4 Mistakes That Cause Surgery Centers to Fail
– 5 Ways to Improve Post-Operative Processes in Surgery Centers
