Elaine S. Larson Surgical Center Campaign - Allina Health
Elaine S. Larson Surgical Center Campaign - Allina Health
Elaine S. Larson Surgical Center Campaign - Allina Health
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Surgery<br />
A hospital’s Economic Engine<br />
Surgery is the economic engine of any hospital. Most<br />
hospital programs and services that are needed to<br />
ensure a community’s continued health and well<br />
being are not economically viable and must rely on<br />
income from surgery to survive. The bottom line of<br />
any surgery department has far-reaching effects on<br />
all other programs.<br />
In an era of diminishing reimbursements for most<br />
medical services, the need is even greater for<br />
hospitals to ensure that their surgery department<br />
is strong, efficient, well-run and healthy. This<br />
includes upgrading surgical processes and facilities as<br />
technology and other advances are made, a goal that<br />
is even more imperative given that every other east metro hospital has<br />
invested in their surgical facilities over the past few years.<br />
To continue to meet the needs of our community, and our physicians and<br />
staff who provide the surgical service, United Hospital must completely<br />
rebuild its operating rooms. These facilities were last updated in the<br />
1970s and were state-of-the-art for that time. Open surgical procedures<br />
have been replaced with minimally invasive techniques that require<br />
more equipment, training and personnel, all crowded into spaces that<br />
are too small and too antiquated. The fact that our physicians and staff<br />
have continued to provide quality, exceptional health care in undersized<br />
and antiquated facilities is a testimony to their knowledge, expertise and<br />
dedication.<br />
Scheduling and turnover Costs<br />
“When you are limited to certain rooms because of space considerations,<br />
access difficulties arise,” says Jerone Kennedy MD, a neurosurgeon with<br />
United Neurosurgery Associates. He also serves as medical director of<br />
Neurosurgery and Bentson Neuroscience Chair at United Hospital. “Such<br />
difficulties mean delays in scheduling and slower turnover.”<br />
“Scheduling is one of the biggest problems with our operating rooms<br />
configuration,” says Pam Berg, RN, surgical patient care manager at<br />
United. “There are only a limited number of rooms that are large enough<br />
for the technology needed today.” In addition, she cites that with the<br />
increase in equipment is an increase in the number of staff in the room.<br />
“The more complex the procedure, the more staff are in the room.”<br />
SURgICAl CENTER CAMPAIgN<br />
hospital Economics<br />
United hospital’s undersized<br />
operating rooms slow down<br />
procedures as equipment is<br />
moved into and out of each room,<br />
thus increasing surgical time and<br />
reducing the number of procedures<br />
that can be completed in a day.<br />
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