Build Intentionally With Innovation in Mind

How does the structure and design of a healthcare facility impact the performance of the surgeon and the outcome of the surgery?
Being in a facility that is intentionally built to fit the most innovative technology ultimately leads to the best outcomes. There’s a different dynamic to a newly constructed surgical tower compared with standard, old-fashioned operating rooms. For instance, if you are doing minimally invasive robotic operations, the equipment you need requires more room in the OR and better usage of available space. That design is inherent in many modern healthcare facilities.

What’s the most exciting part of working at the AdventHealth Tampa Taneja Center for Innovative Surgery?
It’s wonderful to be part of an organization that has always placed a premium on innovation and technology. AdventHealth believes in robotic surgery — and they always have. They were purchasing robots very early on, and they have five robotic platforms in the new tower. Leadership encouraged surgeons to grow instead of putting up obstacles and saying, “We don’t have the time or the space for that technology.”

From a design standpoint, what do you like most about the new tower?
The arrangement of different sections according to specialty. Even though it’s a huge facility, it’s very focused and organized, which makes it very easy for staff to navigate. For instance, my colleagues and I in Foregut, HPB, and Colorectal are under GI surgery. We have six dedicated ORs that are lined up side by side, so we don’t have to go running around between different areas to find what we need. All these rooms are robotically equipped, so the robot doesn’t have to be transferred between ORs.

What role did surgeons and other clinicians play in the construction of the new facility?
The professionals who designed the tower involved us in the process and worked to learn our needs as surgeons. They listened to our perspective of the ideal OR setup. The surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses who use the rooms know the dynamics of the various cases and where equipment needs to be to optimize OR efficiency and safety. Our design partners made the effort to consult with surgeons in figuring out the ideal setup. OSM