OP Management
Annual Report 2022
Around 10,000 operations are performed each year in the state-of-the-art operating theatres at Schulthess Klinik. Our work focuses on the well-being of patients and providing the best possible quality of treatment.
To achieve this, various professional groups in the operating theatres, such as doctors, anaesthesia nurses, surgical nurses, surgical technicians, positioning specialists, operating theatre logistics, healthcare assistants, assistant staff and cleaning staff, work hand in hand to achieve the best possible quality of care.
The recently published Siris report of the Swiss implant register in the field of hip and knee prosthetics from 2022 attested to this quality. For example, our revision rate is two and a half times (for hip prostheses) or three times (for knee prostheses) lower than the Swiss average.
Increase in operations despite shortage of skilled workers
Throughout Switzerland – and beyond its borders – politicians, health economists, the health sector and professional associations are talking about the current shortage of skilled workers. Headlines such as “Among the top 25 most advertised professions in Switzerland, nurse ranks first according to the Jobradar report.” dominate the news on a daily basis. The disciplines of anaesthesia, operating theatre nursing and intensive care nursing are particularly affected.
Schulthess Klinik is also impacted by this shortage of skilled workers. Nevertheless, we have increased our operation numbers by 359 (+3.7%) compared to the previous year. The number of operations performed went up, which is an indication of our good human resources policy and the values we live by. We are proud that our team was able to perform 10,000 operations in all offered disciplines and would like to thank all employees for their incredible work.
Innovative employment conditions
Our innovative employment conditions make a significant contribution to our team culture and the resulting efficiency.
In the Operating Theatre Nursing Services department, several staff members retired, and deservedly so. To our delight, two staff members in the department also became mothers. These employees have become part of a staff pool, whose members are not obligated to work a set number of hours, but nevertheless remain at the disposal of the clinic in times of need.
The staff pool is a flexible and family-friendly working model in which a wide variety of services can be covered through long-term assignment planning, according to the hours these employees are able to work. This means we are able to prevent the loss of expertise and staff resources. Our full-time employees also benefit from this model.
At the request of the Directorate (COO), we checked that the staffing plans for the respective professional groups were correct and up to date. The key figures on effective patient relationships from the beginning to the end of the process served as the basis for this review. As a result, additional posts were granted to operating theatres by the Clinic Directorate.
Standardised processes and expansion of skills
We regularly check that our standardised processes are secure, up to date and efficient. A part of this is the detailed analysis of the upstream and downstream process steps involved in an operation. This enables us to assign skilled workers to the right place at the right time.
In the Anaesthesiology department, we expanded the skill sets of the healthcare assistants. After successfully passing an examination under the supervision of Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Hofer, Head of Anaesthesiology, healthcare assistants can carry out ventilator checks and prepare the prescribed medication for the next administration of anaesthesia. This relieves pressure on the anaesthesia nursing staff so they can devote their full attention to the care of the patient.
Leadership and shortage of skilled workers
The definition of good leadership is changing in favour of more cooperation, participation and understanding. The focus of managers is on defining processes and on using the professional expertise of their respective employees so that they are in the right place at the right time. Thanks to continuous investment in human resources development, the vacant positions of Head of Operating Theatre and Operating Theatre Management as well as Head of Operating Theatre Nursing Services and Deputy Head of Anaesthesia Nursing were able to be filled internally.
This approach also allows us to keep moving in the operating theatre because we are building on our foundation – our employees – and constantly promoting them and assigning them to the right place.
