Ideas That Work: Startup Crew Eliminates First-Case Delays

EARLY BIRDS Certified endoscopy tech Abigail Gramonte (left) and Jie Liu, RN, switch on computers and towers before the day begins.

Startup Crew Eliminates First-Case Delays

For years the first case of the day at our busy endoscopy center rarely started on time, but a simple tweak to the staffing schedule helped cure the problem. We have a nurse and a tech arrive 15 minutes before everyone else. They confirm that the day's case schedule is printed out and posted at the nurses station, and place endoscopes at the bedsides. They also turn on all the computers, making sure updates are complete (how often have you waited anxiously for those to run and run and run?), and turn on video towers in the procedures rooms. Now everything is set and ready to go as soon as the rest of the team arrives.

Helen Lowenwirth, MBA, CASC
East Side Endoscopy
New York, N.Y.
[email protected]