Quarterly highlights from the Perioperative Surgical Services

Join Us in Shaping Our Hospital's Future

Dear Colleagues,

I want to highlight two crucial projects that will impact our hospital and the children we care for:

1. Doctors Preference Card (DPC) Project led by Dr. John Pope: Dr. Pope is assembling a steering committee to review Doctors Preference Cards with the goal of improving efficiency and streamlining operations in the OR. Stay tuned for updates.

2. Surgical Expanded Access (SEA) Plan led by Dr. Lyndy Wilcox: Dr. Wilcox and her team are crafting a plan to expand access to surgical care for children who need it most, extending our reach beyond our hospital walls. The objectives are to listen to the needs of our community, execute with precision and care, and adapt to every challenge. Join us in supporting the SEA Plan, and let's extend surgical access to everyone in need.

Your support and engagement are vital. Whether you're directly involved or not, your enthusiasm and insights will make a difference.

Let's work together to create a brighter future for our young patients.

With gratitude,

Jeffrey S. Upperman, MD

Surgeon-In-Chief

INNOVATION

FUSE: Finding Use, Sharing Expertise Focus Group & Breakfast

OR Renovation Updates

The OR renovation project is halfway complete! ORs 7, 8, 12 and 13 have been reopened. Work underway on ORs 1 & 2 is expected to be completed by mid November.

Story by Christina Echegaray in the VUMC Reporter HERE.

Monroe Carell Partners with NKR to Offer Kidney Paired Donation Program

In a groundbreaking development, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital is proud to announce its partnership with the National Kidney Registry (NKR) to offer kidney paired donation services. This innovative program, spearheaded by Dr. Rachel Forbes, MD, MBA, Division Chief of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, and Living Donor Surgical Director at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is set to change lives. Here is how it works: If a child has an incompatible donor, that donor can still contribute by donating on their behalf. A living donor kidney will then be shipped to Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) for the child's transplant. This innovative program aims to expand our transplant options and provide hope to those in need. While the volume of transplants is expected to be around 1-4 per year, community support is vital. NKR transplants are scheduled 2-3 weeks in advance to avoid financial penalties, typically taking place when the kidney arrives at VUMC, typically in the late afternoon or early evening (4-7pm). Get involved in this life-saving initiative and join us in our mission to bring hope and healing through kidney transplantation!

PEOPLE

Welcome!

We've added several new members to the Periop family.

CLICK to see who's-who.

Advancement and Recognition

Perioperative team members are continuously advancing on their chosen career path.

CLICK to view staff and faculty advancements and achievements!

Spina Bifida Clinic Recognized

The Spina Bifida Clinic was recently recognized for the excellence in care it provides to patients like Elly Vincent and has been named a Clinic Care Partner by the Spina Bifida Association. To achieve the SBA’s designation, the clinic went through an intense application process and had to meet all 10 standards as set by the organization’s professional advisory committee. Read more in the VUMC Reporter HERE.

Cause For Applause

Cause for Applause is Vanderbilt Health’s new system for recognizing, celebrating, and appreciating employees all over the organization. Whether it is someone who is exemplifying our Credo, delivering on our Patient and Family Promise, or simply performing at the top of their game, employees are doing great things every day. Cause for Applause makes it easy and fun to shine a light on your colleagues

Click HERE to view applause for our Periop colleagues!

Applaud a Colleague

SERVICE

If you are interested in learning more about results from post-patient experience surveys, click HERE.

Thank you ALL for your continued dedication to our patients and families!

QUALITY

American College of Surgeons Trauma Center Verification Coming September 18-19

It is that time again for our American College of Surgeon’s Trauma Center Verification. The survey takes place on September 18th and 19th and is in a new virtual format where the documentation including patient charts are submitted well in advance. That means the surveyors will have more time available to speak to various trauma liaisons and staff members virtually. You will also see us touring the hospital with rolling iPads, to include the PACU and OR. In the past, the surveyors have asked about OR availability, staffing mixes, available equipment, and staff training. Please feel free to reach out to Amber Greeno if you have any follow-up questions. Read more about how to prepare for ACS Trauma Center Verification HERE.

FINANCE & GROWTH

Supply Cost Reduction Program

Supply Cost Reduction work will continue in FY2023.

EPSi Cost Accounting Team has developed a Supply Cost Tableau dashboard to measure and track performance to expense goal and change in year over year costs .

The Supply Cost workgroup team was created to oversee this workstream consisting of Finance, Perioperative Services, and Surgeon Leadership.

The team has identified 3 areas with opportunity for improvement:

1) Surgeon Preference Card Review

2) Reduce Supply Wastage

3) Utilization of CPT codes with greatest opportunity

If interested in going through a review of your Service’s Supply Cost data and performance on the dashboard, please contact Dr. John Pope or Jeremy Willis.

Attention: The information transmitted with any links is intended solely for VUMC faculty and staff and may contain confidential and/or privileged material.

ACADEMICS

Keep On Your Radar

Nominate a colleague!

Submit a Safety Superhero nomination: CLICK or use QR code.

What's Next: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

This resource guide is intended to help you deepen your knowledge of the roots of injustice and inequity and learn about antiracism efforts. These resources will be regularly updated. Feel free to share with your family, friends and colleagues.

Antiracism Resource Guide

In The News...

Discoveries in Medicine - DNA Podcast

GenAI wrote this blog post summarizing a #ListenDNA podcast about GenAI in healthcare

VUMC Reporter

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt again ranked among nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report

Thomas Long Named Executive Vice Chair for Pediatric Anesthesiology

Joseph Magliocca named director of the Vanderbilt Transplant Center

Neurocritical care team helps boy survive severe brain injury

Celebration honors Paul Sternberg’s decades of service

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Suggestion Box

This newsletter is for you! We want to keep you updated on relevant information for pediatric surgical services. Please offer feedback or suggestions, such as content additions, areas of focus, and ideas that relate to at least one of our Pillar Goals: People, Service, Quality, Innovation, Growth & Finance. We are also looking for contructive solutions to challenges within the Perioperative space.

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