Operating room efficiency and performance has become a key metric for ASCs as they continue navigating the anesthesia workforce shortage and rising demand for surgical services.
The percentage of healthcare facilities reporting anesthesia staffing shortages rose from 35% before the COVID-19 pandemic to 78% by late 2022, according to workforce research from the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Tara Good-Young, CEO of PDI Surgery Center in Windsor, Calif., recently joined Becker’s to discuss her organization’s approach to OR management and optimization.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What types of data or metrics does your ASC currently track to measure OR performance, and where do you see the biggest gaps in your reporting capabilities?
Ms. Good-Young: Our ASC tracks a defined set of operational and patient‑experience metrics to monitor OR performance and overall efficiency. Key indicators include:
- Average procedure time per month
- Percentage of available OR time utilized
- Number of referrals received per month
- Percentage of referrals that convert to completed treatment
- Patient survey completion rate and satisfaction ratio
- Average monthly cost per procedure compared with expected procedure revenue
These metrics provide a strong foundation for understanding throughput, efficiency and financial performance.
However, our largest reporting gap lies in referral tracking. Because referrals do not enter the EHR or patient management system until after they have been vetted as ASC‑qualified, we lack a seamless way to measure referral volume and conversion as their own independent data stream. This makes referral tracking rather manual – being entered by staff onto spreadsheets outside the EHR. This limits our ability to rapidly analyze referral patterns, identify bottlenecks, and forecast demand with greater precision.
Q: Has your ASC implemented any data-driven initiatives to improve OR efficiency or utilization — and if so, what results have you seen?
TGY: We have implemented several data‑driven strategies to strengthen OR efficiency and inform strategic planning:
- Analyzing unused OR time to determine how much capacity can be offered to outside providers
- Evaluating ROI on targeted marketing efforts based on available OR capacity and strategic growth goals
- Assessing referral dynamics to determine whether we need to expand referral sources or increase the percentage of referrals that convert to completed treatment.
These initiatives have helped us better understand where operational opportunities exist and how to align resources with demand. They also support long‑term planning around partnerships, outreach, and service diversification.
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