Surgical Services oversees the young patient’s care from the time surgery is scheduled through discharge. Several groups collaborate to ensure the best in family-centered care. Anesthesiologists, nurses, medical-technical staff, and sterile processing technicians partner with Emergency Medicine, Radiology and the Laboratory to support The Children’s Hospital surgeons.
Desmond Henry, MD
Medical Director, Surgical Services
with four-year-old Anne Louise,
nine-year-old Luke,
two-year-old Elena Grace
and seven-year-old Micah
During 2002, Surgical Services supported more than 13,000 surgical cases, a 7.9% increase in the number of cases over 2001. Patient care extends beyond clinical support in the operating room. Scheduling, registration, patient flow, pre-certification and family education are coordinated by the Surgical Services staff.
Anesthesia
Because the physiology, anatomy, biochemistry and emotional needs of children differ substantially from those of adults, pediatric anesthesiology is recognized as a distinct subspecialty. Thirty-three pediatric anesthesiologists, including 21 who are based full-time at The Children’s Hospital, provide expert care for neonates through adolescents. The department of Anesthesiology offers an accredited residency and the only pediatric anesthesiology fellowship in a seven-state region.
Pediatric anesthesia services are also available at remote locations, such as other regional hospitals, for surgical procedures, radiation therapy and the treatment of high-risk newborns.Recognized nationally as experts in pediatric anesthesia, the anesthesiologists on Children’s staff present at numerous national and regional meetings on such topics as spinal anesthesia, neurophysiological monitoring, management of children at high-risk for apnea, and pediatric pain management.
Nursing
The operating room nurses were part of a multidisciplinary team active in planning the best utilization of three new operating rooms opened in spring 2002. Scheduling, equipment usage, and staffing in the 17 operating suites were evaluated to establish optimal work flow, stream-line room turnover, and improve start times.
In answer to the growing nursing shortage, a Perioperative Educational Program was established in 2001. The nine-month program is designed to specifically train new graduates in pediatric perioperative nursing. Additionally, outreach programs to area nursing schools, technical and community colleges and high schools lay the foundation for future recruitments.
The nursing staff was also instrumental in establishing Kids’ Surgery, a suite of private rooms for the preparation and post anesthesia recovery of young patients. Private rooms facilitate family-centered care, a more comforting approach to the surgical process and a less stressful recovery period.
Administration
Improved communication with surgery schedulers in community physicians’ offices was prioritized in 2001/2002. Outreach programs to centralized locations throughout the metro area provided information about OR scheduling, billing and insurance requirements and coding. A biannual Schedulers Breakfast was initiated at the hospital to facilitate communication between community offices, internal hospital practices and OR schedulers.
