Operating room cost awareness committee. A model for collaboration

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Operations
• Cost Optimization

Background:

• Kaiser Santa Rosa (KSRO) exhibited high non-payroll operating room (OR) costs compared to other Kaiser facilities.
• This financial disparity indicated a need for targeted cost-control measures within the surgical department.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and address the elevated non-payroll costs per surgical hour at Kaiser Santa Rosa.
• To implement a sustainable strategy for OR cost reduction and management.

Main Methods:

• Formation of an Operating Room Cost Awareness Committee, comprising surgeons, nurses, materiel management, and administrative staff.
• Granting the committee authority to approve or deny all OR supply requisitions.
• Fostering a collaborative environment to encourage cost-consciousness among OR personnel.

Main Results:

• The committee successfully brought the OR non-payroll costs in line with those of other Kaiser facilities.
• Implementation of supply request oversight led to significant cost containment.
• The committee transitioned from a temporary initiative to a permanent standing committee.

Conclusions:

• A multidisciplinary committee with control over supply management can effectively reduce operating room costs.
• Collaborative cost-awareness initiatives are crucial for financial efficiency in healthcare settings.
• The KSRO model demonstrates a successful approach to optimizing surgical supply expenditures.