Modern medicine becomes even more modern every day. Procedures and treatments that were cutting edge even a generation ago are now commonplace; in some cases, they may even have been replaced by innovations that came about in the past several years. All of these innovations aim to help people live healthier, longer lives.
Basics of the Hybrid Operating Room
What exactly is a hybrid OR? It’s an operating room that allows for the integration of all the necessary equipment and multidisciplinary specialists required to seamlessly diagnose and treat a patient requiring multiple procedures. In generations past, this would have been a dream for healthcare providers: The opportunity to diagnose and treat a patient with multiple procedures did not exist. Today, it’s a reality, and it’s becoming more common.
Providers have new opportunities to work together to care for a patient at the same time; this can be especially important if a patient has multiple severe health issues. Treatment that used to take place over the course of several days or more, and in multiple operating rooms and diagnostic labs, can now all be done over the course of one visit in one room.
Advantages of a Hybrid OR
There are many advantages associated with this model. Patient safety is at the top of the list: Because everything happens in one room, any complications or emergencies can be handled immediately and in one spot. This model can also result in cost savings for a patient who needs multiple procedures: Fewer individual trips for procedures means more efficiency and less cost.
Before hybrid ORs, a patient might have imaging scans, undergo surgery and return for additional scans. With hybrid ORs, the availability of imaging equipment means physicians can view a surgical area on high-definition monitors to perform advanced, image-guided cardiac, vascular, and neurosurgical procedures all in one place, without going back and forth between an imaging room and an operating room.
Logistics of Creating a Hybrid OR
There are some challenges associated with creating a hybrid operating room. Cost can be a factor, and the first step is often to determine whether a hybrid OR makes strategic and financial sense. For example, hospitals need to consider the fact that hybrid operating rooms use more utilities, require shielding for the radiology equipment and need structural support for the large equipment booms.
When considering whether to add a hybrid operating room, the decision-making factors may be unique to each hospital. However, the inputs are constant, comprising imaging and display technology, lighting, carts, and staffing resources. Thorough planning and goal setting, coupled with painstaking attention to detail throughout the process, can go a long way toward setting the stage for success.
We want to talk with you
At 365 Healthcare Staffing Services, we specialize in the recruitment and placement of healthcare professionals in per diem, travel, and permanent assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. Have you worked in a hybrid operating room, or is the concept new to you? Either way, if you’re looking for your next short-term or long-term healthcare placement, we’d love to work with you. Give us a call at 310.436.3650 today!
