Chairs: Michelle Louie

Faculty: Janelle Katie Moulder, Asha B. McClurg, Jacqueline Wong, Michelle Louie

Description: Speakers propose cost-cutting strategies for the operating room based on the 3 R's of sustainability: reduce, reuse, and recycle. The speakers will review how to define and calculate operating room expenditures and offer tactics and surgical techniques to reduce cost without sacrificing patient safety or surgical efficiency. A review of the medical literature with a focus on environmental sustainability, adaptability, and thinking outside the box will underscore presentations from each speaker. Topics include: (1) When old is new again: cost cutting tips and tricks using old school techniques; (2) Less is more: evidence-based strategies to reduce operating room waste; (3) Recycling: What's the deal with refurbished instruments?

Learning Objectives: At the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

1. Objective Describe how to calculate operating room costs
2. Objective Perform cost-saving, adaptive, and ecologically-sound surgical techniques
3. Objective Understand the role and safety of reusable and refurbished instruments in the modern practice of laparoscopic surgery

Course Outline

9:15 AM Welcome, Introduction and Course Overview

M. Louie

9:20 AM How to Calculate Operating Room Costs

J. Moulder

9:45 AM Reduce: Evidence-Based Strategies to Reduce Operating Room Waste

A. McClurg

10:10 AM Reuse: When Old is New Again: Cost Cutting Tips and Tricks Using Old School Techniques

J. Wong

10:35 AM Recycle: What's the Deal With Refurbished Instruments?

M. Louie

11:00 AM Discussion Questions & Answers

9:15 AM Adjourn