Time Studies

[linnma]

Has anyone done a time study recently to measure the amount of time to put together a tray, singles, etc,?

[sonny1388]

Not a real accurate one. I would be very interested in how to perform these with accurate results, as well as get a good formula for calculating work output. Our HR is still using cases/day average and it is killing me on FTE's!

[jrc]

I have not performed an accurate study on this, but a lot of the instrument tracking systems have data on this.

[DANNYS]

With 3 FTE's and 9 operating rooms, this is a huge problem for me. My HR department thinks that I am over-staffed. Some of the steps that I've taken to aid in trying to get more FTE's is to look at the entire sterilization process. That includes the length of time it takes to process a tray from start to finish.
It's kind of long for an email, so give me a call and I can explain it to you..817 472-3651.

[sonny1388]

three for 9 is insane. We have three FTE's and only run 4 OR's, with a cystology and an endoscopy room on top of that, and we are running ragged! Plus, we only have enough staff to run three of the rooms at one time, and that only lasts until 3, after that we only run one (except for trauma)

[debbie]

Danny how many procedures do you do a day?

Only 3FTE's with 9 OR's. What type of cases?

In order to justify FTE's I count everything that touches our hands. Pumps and Equip. code 4 carts, # of items processed in the sterilizers etc...

Since I work for a multi-hospital facilty they compare my stat's with that of the sister hospitals. We process 1000 items per person/per month.
The other hospitals run 500/per person/mo and 800.

[DANNYS]

We are a physician-owned facility that does between 35 to 55 cases a day. About 70% of those cases are laparoscopic (including robotic procedures). The complete case load includes gen surgery, gyn surgery, urology, neuro, ortho, colonoscopies, ERCP's, podiatry, and plastics. We also process for ER and radiology. We also just started pain management, which is not a big deal as far as sterilization goes, but it does require one of my FTE's to pull the soft goods.