SEEDING IS BELIEVING Our on-time start rate was ripe for improvement.

Efforts Bear Fruit
Our Apple Display Keeps Delays at Bay

A couple of years ago, we began seeing more and more surgical delays, mostly because surgeons were often late for their first cases of the day. Overtime costs were on the rise, patient satisfaction scores were falling, and surgeon and employee morale was sinking.

It was time to encourage the bad apples to do better, and to recognize the good apples for their diligence. So we created an "apples in the barrel board" and started some healthy competition. We printed all of our surgeons' names and photos on paper apples, which we moved up and down the "barrel," based on their percentage of first cases completed on time. Additionally, surgeons who started 100% of their first cases on time in a given month were recognized with apple certificates posted on their OR doors the following month. It's fun and it's made a difference. We're now seeing fewer delays, more optimal use of our surgical suites, increased patient satisfaction scores and improved staff morale.

Ebony Mitchell, BSN, RN
Houston (Texas) Methodist Hospital
[email protected]