Who should be on your digital pre-operative huddles?
In the complex and high-stakes environment of surgery, there’s one truth that stands out: the more aligned your team is, the safer and more efficient your procedures will be. Statistics identified that 70% of adverse events that occur in the surgical environment are caused by breakdowns in communication among healthcare providers.
Who should be part of these huddles to maximize their impact then? The answer is simple: anyone who can make a difference when it comes to the safety and efficiency of the surgery.
Start with a core team: surgeon, nurse lead, and anesthesia lead
Your huddle should bring together key stakeholders that make critical decisions and can affect the safety, efficiency and outcome of the procedure. Your first collaborators should be stakeholders that can help you deliver initial value fast. OR nurse leaders (e.g. nurse managers) are usually the first to invite. Partnering with the nurse leaders makes it easy to add value quickly. It also assures that moving forward the huddle initiative is effectively integrated into the team's daily routines. An anesthesia lead can help assure that huddle information gets to the anesthesia team, even if you don’t have visibility to the exact staff assignment for each case.
Expand to include essential team members
But don’t stop there. To truly harness the power of a well-aligned team, you need to broaden the circle. Inviting more team members becomes easy once you start to routinely huddle with your core team. Additional team members can clearly see the benefit and will help spread the word. There’s no need to add everyone at once. You can first add team members who are excited about improving quality and efficiency and like technology. Here’s who else should be part of your digital pre-operative huddles:
The nurses and scrub techs assigned to the case are crucial in preparing the operating room and ensuring that all necessary instruments and materials are available and sterile. Their involvement in the huddle helps prevent delays and mistakes and ensures a well-coordinated and safe procedure.
The anesthesia team assigned to the case is key to a successful huddle. By understanding the plan, the anesthesia team can tailor anesthesia management to the specific needs of the surgery, anticipate complications, and prepare for special requirements, such as positioning, blood loss, or a longer expected duration. Clear communication ensures they can provide optimal pain control, maintain patient stability, and respond to any intraoperative changes, reducing risks and improving outcomes. While you may not know who is assigned to your case until the morning of the case, a digital huddle makes it easy to get the right stakeholders there as soon as they get the assignment.
APPs participation in the huddle ensures they’re fully informed and ready to support the surgeon effectively.
Including fellows and residents in the huddle ensures they are familiar with the surgical plan and their role in it, enhancing both their education and the safety of the surgery.
The participation of additional stakeholders like neurophysiologists and perfusionists, when relevant, can help prevent miscommunications and increase the efficiency of the safety of procedures.
Vendor Representatives: In cases where specialized equipment or implants are used, vendor reps are an integral part of the team, and keeping them on the same page is just as important. It is often more challenging because they usually don’t have access to internal information systems and rely on communication from the surgeon and/or the OR staff. Their participation in the huddle ensures that they are fully prepared for the case.
Coordinators and scheduling staff play a key role in managing the logistics of surgery, from scheduling to ensuring that the right equipment and personnel are available. Their input can help avoid any last-minute surprises that could disrupt the procedure. Keeping them continuously updated assures an efficient day with less surprises.
Team alignment equals top performance
By including everyone who can make a difference in your pre-operative huddles, you’re setting your team up for success. This alignment reduces the risk of errors, minimizes delays, creates a safe space, and leads to better outcomes for your patients.
Chiefy’s digital huddle is designed to make your pre-operative huddles as seamless and effective as possible. An aligned team will make your OR days smoother and assure that your patients get the best care
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