Anna Hinz INNOVATION IN ALLOCATIONS

AIM OF SESSION Why change what we’ve always done? Partnering with Consumers – Drs, Nurses, Patients Understanding demand modelling How are allocations developed Why are allocations so important to quality and safety? How much of a difference can changing my approach make?

How this project came about?

ALLOCATIONS IN 2012

2012 ALLOCATION BOARD Each NIGHT arranging the allocation on the board took night duty 1.5 – 2 hours depending on interruptions (like patients!)

Along came the interactive board that revolutionised our world! After an initial period of general staff negativity and some teething problems -we had technology! THEATRE ALLOCATIONS IN EARLY 2013

Although the interactive board added great value to the department it didn’t change the fact that we still entered new data each day Theatre is like ground hog day – we follow a set schedule of sessions for surgeons. For the most part we know what’s coming! TAKING THE NEXT STEP

IN LATE 2012 WE STARTED A PROCESS OF DEVISING A MASTER ROSTER WITH THE IDEA THAT WE WORK ON A SET PLAN OF THE SURGEON TEMPLATE IF WE KNOW WHAT’S COMING – WHY DO WE REDO THE WORK EVERY DAY? WHY DON’T WE CREATE A MASTER ALLOCATION THAT IS PRELOADED TO CREATE THE MASTER ROSTER?... GOOD IDEA – THAT SHOULD BE EASY! NOW WE’RE THINKING

THE MASTER ALLOCATION IS BORN!

PROJECT WORK EACH STEP IN THE PROCESS IS SLOW AND PAINSTAKING EVERY STAFF MEMBER HAS A SKILL SET TO A SPECIFIC SPECIALTY OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK PEOPLE HAVE PERSONALITIES AND DONT ALWAYS FIT TOGETHER AS A TEAM LET ALONE WITH THE SURGEON AND ANESTHETIST MASTER ALLOCATION DEVELOPED FOR INSTRUMENTS AND CIRCULATING BY THEATRE COORDINATOR EACH DAY IN THE CYCLE (28 DAYS) IS VALIDATED WITH THE SPECIALTY ANUMS FOR SKILLS MIX ALLOCATIONS ARE VALIDATED WITH STAFF BASE

INNOVATIVE WORK TAKES TIME AND DEDICATION

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT TO THE STAFF/DEPARTMENT?

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT FOR THE PATIENT? The Committee of Quality of Health Care in America (2000) noted that ‘...when team processes are planned and standardised, each member of the team knows the other team members’ functions, and errors may be noticed before they cause an incident.’

WHAT ELSE DID WE AIM TO ACHIEVE FROM THE PROJECT HAPPY STAFF – HAPPY MANAGER! HAPPY DOCTOR HAPPY LIFE

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT SO FAR? VALIDATE ALL THE IDEAS AND TOOLS WITH THE ANUMS – THEY KNOW THEIR TEAMS BETTER THAN US AND WE VALUE THEIR INPUT SELL THE IDEA TO THE ANUMS FIRST AND ENSURE THEY HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT THE IDEA OF GETTING STAFF ONTO 28 DAYS OF ALLOCATIONS AND MATCHED TO 320 DIFFERENT SURGEONS AND ANAESTHETISTS IS HARD BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE THAT THE GAINS FAR OUT WIEGH THE PAIN OF THE WORK! THE KNOWLEDGE THAT AS SOON AS WE THINK WE’VE GOT IT RIGHT SOMEONE WILL LEAVE – BUT THEN WE WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SKILL SET WE NEED TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE WE KNOW EXCATLY WHAT PEOPLE THEY WORK WITH! VALIDATE ALL THE IDEAS AND TOOLS WITH THE ANUMS – THEY KNOW THEIR TEAMS BETTER THAN US AND WE VALUE THEIR INPUT SELL THE IDEA TO THE ANUMS FIRST AND ENSURE THEY HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT THE IDEA OF GETTING STAFF ONTO 28 DAYS OF ALLOCATIONS AND MATCHED TO 320 DIFFERENT SURGEONS AND ANAESTHETISTS IS HARD BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE THAT THE GAINS FAR OUT WIEGH THE PAIN OF THE WORK! THE KNOWLEDGE THAT AS SOON AS WE THINK WE’VE GOT IT RIGHT SOMEONE WILL LEAVE – BUT THEN WE WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SKILL SET WE NEED TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE WE KNOW EXCATLY WHAT PEOPLE THEY WORK WITH!