Robotic platforms for surgery are major capital investments for any facility or health system. But once the hype and the initial excitement dies down and the robots are online, are you really getting optimum value out of the investment?
We’ve heard anecdotally numerous times over the last few years how after the robot is made available to surgeons, it too frequently sits unused. Some surgeons who use the robot initially decide to return to working without it. One leader once described their robot to me as “a glorified coat hanger.” Conversely, some surgeons might use the robot for certain procedures that actually would be less expensive to perform otherwise.
With all of this in mind, we’ve assembled three perioperative leaders who will discuss the issue in a panel, Are you getting maximum value out of your surgical robot investment?, during Periop Leader Week, to be held Oct. 4 to 7 in Savannah, Ga.
Heidi Pieper, MHA, LSSGB, Program Director, Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program, The Ohio State University Wexner Center
Taking the stage for a robust discussion on Monday, Oct. 5, from 10:30 to 11:30 am, will be Heidi Pieper, MHA, LSSGB, program director of the Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at The Ohio State University Wexner Center; Loveleen Freeman, MS-HSA, CPHQ, LSSGB, PMP, business director of perioperative services and chair of the Abdominal Thoracic Robotics Operations Committee at MedStar Health; and Christian T. Melendez, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, CNL, director of perioperative services at Prisma Health Parkridge Baptist Hospital.
Together, they’ll zero in on the types of cases that make the most financial sense to perform robotically; how to win over skeptical surgeons; how to account for the true costs involved in purchasing and maintaining a robotic platform; how to maximize efficiencies in use, setup and turnover; sterile processing requirements; training; maintaining a productive relationship with your robot vendor, and more. Bring your robotics optimization questions for these experts during this highly interactive discussion!
Christian T. Melendez, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, CNL, Director, Perioperative services, Prisma Health Parkridge Baptist Hospital
“Just because you have a robot does not necessarily mean you have a robotics program,” says Dr. Melendez. “It’s about engaging the surgeons, making a room a robotics room, and then mathematically looking at its utilization. It can’t be sinking at 30, 40, 50 percent utilization. You need cases.”
Ms. Freeman stresses data-driven decision making. “How are we leveraging internal data, benchmarks and nationwide metrics to optimize our fleets?” she says, adding that it’s all about “standardization, standardization, standardization—standardizations of roles, staffing models, preference cards and more.”
Ms. Pieper is in charge of 21 robotic systems at Wexner that serve 14 specialties: bariatrics, acute care surgery, ENT, colorectal, SONC, benign GYN, thoracic, gynecologic oncology, urology, benign urology, general surgery, urogynecology, cardiac, and transplant. She suggests leaders focus on the program, not the robot. “Organizations get the most value from surgical robotics when they focus on building a high-performing robotics program, not simply acquiring technology,” she says. “Success comes from aligning people, processes, data, and clinical goals around a shared vision.”
Loveleen Freeman, MS-HSA, CPHQ, LSSGB, PMP, Business Director, Perioperative Services; Chair, Abdominal Thoracic Robotics Operations Committee, MedStar Health
Ms. Pieper says the strongest return on your robotic investment comes from balancing utilization with outcomes. “It’s not just about doing more robotic cases,” she says. “It’s about improving patient outcomes and access, enhancing operational efficiency, investing in team development, and delivering a consistent patient experience.”
Join us at Periop Leader Week to access this session and dozens of others that will help you grow as a perioperative leader while connecting with your peers! Register today using code PLNVIP to get 15% off!
