Who would guess that a TV mounted to a gas pump could be the impetus to improving communication in the operating room.
But when that TV came on and offered Scott Dulchavsky, M.D., chairman of Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital, chips in the station’s convenience store and a look at the local weather while he pumped gas, he was impressed with the concept. And he wanted to replicate it.
“I thought it was a pretty smart way to get out a message to a captive audience. I knew there must be some way we could apply the same concept to educating our operating room personnel,” recalls Dr. Dulchavsky.
While surgeons and operating room staff don’t always have time to read e-mail or the news, there is one thing they all have to repeatedly do for several minutes every day – stand at the scrub sink outside the operating rooms and wash their hands before each surgical procedure.
That’s where OR-TV comes in.
Using flat screen TVs mounted above the scrub sinks, OR-TV delivers informative and educational programming on a continuous loop for surgeons and staff to watch as they wash their hands.
“Working in this complex environment is an ever-increasing challenge. Every day, there are new people, new procedures, and more sophisticated equipment is introduced into our environment,” says orthopaedic surgeon Stephen Bartol, M.D., director of surgical services at Henry Ford Hospital. “Communication is the key to keeping things running smoothly and safely in the hospital, and OR-TV makes that possible.”
OR-TV broadcasts a variety of information about safety and quality issues, new policies and procedures, and the proper use of new and existing equipment. New content for OR-TV is created bi-weekly, and its messages are delivered by Henry Ford surgeons, nurses, techs and other staff whose work helps support operations in the ORs.
Dr. Bartol notes that one of the greatest benefits of OR-TV is that it promotes team building, by introducing new teams members, recognizing accomplishments and celebrating successes.
There’s even an OR-TV video library available online, allowing OR staff and other health care workers to review past broadcasts.
Some recent OR-TV segments include:
- Implementation of the World Health Organizations’ Surgical Safety Check List
- Introducing the new surgical services administrator
- How to handle recalled products
- Proper storage for surgical scopes
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