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a pressure injury ,” said Haines . “ You ’ re doing things at an accelerated pace , and often , you ’ re not dealing with potential safety issues .” Staying current on new technology and devices — plus handling supply chain issues , a now familiar pandemic-era reality — can divert time and attention away from patient care . It ’ s a monumental change .
Haines , a certified perioperative nurse for more than 25 years , recalls that during her training , “ there wasn ’ t one ounce of curriculum around technology and supplies . Now , it ’ s 50 % of the job .”
She says of the changes , “ Post-pandemic , many ORs know that the levy is broken and they don ’ t know how to fix it .”
Improving OR efficiencies with systems and expertise Facing staff turnover and shortages , limited resources and high performance expectations , perioperative supply chain leaders are prioritizing efficiency and collaboration . They ’ re turning to industry partners for technology solutions , consolidating purchasing , working closely with fewer distributors to maximize savings , standardizing supplies and streamlining processes .
Medline is working with perioperative teams across the country , helping them identify gaps and opportunities , define strategies for improvement , and achieve their goals with resources and support . Through its Perioperative Supply Chain Optimization service , Medline conducts assessments — 71 in 2022 alone — that provide a roadmap to better patient care , outcomes and efficiencies focusing on operations , infection prevention , work flow ,
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“ We want to support perioperative nurses . They ’ re being asked to do so much more today . We want to help minimize their challenges and stress so they can focus on patients .”
— Kimberly Haines , RN Director of Clinical Programs for
Perioperative Sales
supply handling / management , waste and more .
Says Haines , “ We go in and make a diagnosis — this is broken , that ’ s not working — and we then solve these challenges by identifying and building more efficient ways to support the OR .”
New ways of ensuring quality patient care in the operating room include product substitutions , spot buys , PAR rationalization , rethinking supply levels , data analysis , auto refills and the increased use of surgical packs .
Angela Carranza , CST , Medline Clinical Resource Manager , notes three top perioperative strategies , among many , that Medline assists with :
Leveraging data to improve operational efficiency Decisions about product mix , on-hand quantity and replenishment unit of measure require close tracking of all products purchased ( purchase volume and units of measure ) and all issued from the storeroom . Medline works closely with teams to ensure that data gathered is accurate , harnessing artificial intelligence to deliver actionable supply consumption insights .
Effectively implementing product substitutions Pandemic shortages gave perioperative a chance to re-evaluate what they do and how they do it , turning up new opportunities to streamline operations and reduce cost . When many medical devices were in short supply , reprocessed Single Use Devices ( SUDs ) successfully filled the gap while diverting OR waste and continue to be cost-effective , high-quality alternatives .
Using surgical packs at every surgical phase Surgical packs can dramatically impact quality of care and outcomes by reducing setup time , standardizing best practices , improving storage and productivity , and reducing waste .
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Supporting “ the MacGyvers ” with training and education Medline University ’ s Perioperative Resource Center offers free courses and other training tools and resources to improve efficiencies and safety and support healthcare-associated infection ( HAI ) prevention .
Medline also offers Patient Safety Microlearning Courses for OR Professionals – nine short courses offering safety updates on surgical site infections ( SSIs ), perioperative hypothermia , perioperative pressure injuries , catheter-associated urinary tract infections ( CAUTIs ) and other topics .
“ We want to support perioperative nurses . They ’ re the best MacGyvers in the world ,” said Haines . “ They figure out everything , they ’ re good problem solvers and they think outside the box . But they ’ re being asked to do so much more today . We want to help minimize their challenges and stress so they can focus on patients — the reason they got into perioperative nursing in the first place .”
Learn more about how Medline is helping operating rooms run better .
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