Operating Room Liaison

Operating Room Liaison

This position works directly with SPD, OR, Case Cart staff, and Vendors. The Operating Room Liaison will coordinate and have oversight of daily activities between the Operating Room (OR) and Sterile Processing Department to facilitate efficient case flow. Works with the OR service line team members, SPD Leads, scheduling and vendors to review the surgical schedule in advance to anticipate the need for specialty instrumentation, implants and loaned instrumentation. Works with SPD Leadership and OR Leadership to identify capital and consignment needs and evaluate existing consignment in place to ensure usage continues to support current inventory. Responsible for assisting in projects, process improvement and quality initiatives. This position will perform, facilitate and provide structure to ensure positive relationships between, surgeons, sterile processing and surgical services staff. The incumbent will ensure that key performance indicators are directed toward analysis of data, with a focus on improvement of process or outcome, with the patient at the center of all activity.

The primary responsibility of this position is to focus on top quality and efficient case flow throughout all surgical services areas at Renown Health. This position directs processes for determining customer needs, prioritization of work and interface team responsibilities. The OR Liaison uses their skills and knowledge to establish and maintain efficient workflows between OR and SPD teams. This position will coordinate the efforts to provide surgical services and sterile processing staff with the tools and training needed to achieve objectives and continuously improve performance in key performance indicators. The position requires ongoing assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of instruments, implants or new equipment. Position works closely with Surgical Services Leadership on activities concerning the developing of optimal workflows, computer requirements, documentation guidelines and appropriate distribution of implants and instrumentation. Communicates and escalates any patient safety concerns or surgical delays in a timely manner to department leadership. Offers education for Vendors, Providers, SPD and OR staff as needed for surgical instrumentation and processes. Ensures each tray and instrumentation meets the accreditation standards to ensure that items are safe to use on patients and the process of cleaning, disinfection and sterilization are properly executed and documented. Collaborates with SPD Educator on education and in-services related to the inspection of each instrument tray and item for defective, broken, contaminated, missing or extra items and communicate finding to Vendors and department as needed. This position will assist in ensuring all Vendors follow Renown Health Policies and Procedures for processing and accepting loaner instrumentation. Communicating any concerns to Surgical Services Leadership and having Vendors correct any concerns prior to scheduled needs of surgical patients. Assist Vendors with missing or broken instrumentation after the case to minimize the financial impact of lost or broken inventory. Maintain and assist in replacing missing instruments or implants in owned and consigned trays as needed. The OR liaison will be responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of key performance indicators and shared dashboard for sterile processing and surgical services. Under the direction of the Sterile Processing Leadership, in collaboration with Infection Prevention and Quality team members, this position is responsible for performing in-services, audits, sharing expertise to ensure business is operating efficiently with a focus on quality. This position provides quality and knowledgeable coordination of case scheduling, new products, surgeons, surgical and sterile processing staff and vendors. Technical knowledge will be needed in process development, implementation and monitoring, implants & instrumentation, policies & procedures, physician's preferences for implant and instrument trays. The position requires application of a large body of technical knowledge in forecasting short-and long-range inventory needs under constantly changing technological and program requirements. In addition, education will be provided both before, during, and after the case for proper constructing and deconstructing of new and/or loaner instruments while on the field for use by the physician and cleaning by sterile processing staff.

Key roles and responsibilities of the OR Liaison:

• Communicate daily with OR/SPD leadership
• Review daily surgery schedule with OR leadership/team leads to determine instrument needs
• Routinely perform case cart audits to ensure accuracy of items pulled for the procedure per the preference card
• Serve as a point person with the OR/SPD personnel and physicians to resolve issues through daily rounding's in the OR.
• Communicate with SPD staff to monitor priority lists and communicate turnover needs
• Routinely perform post case cart audit to help identify instrument issues that may occur post case.
• Perform instrument tray QA audits to help ensure accurate instrument sets are being delivered by the SPD department.
• Interact with vendors or sales representatives as needed
• Provide daily feedback to coordinators/SPD department of issues and operations barriers.

Additional responsibilities and flexible working hours may be required. The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job. This position does not provide patient care.

Minimum Qualifications Requirements - Required and/or Preferred

Name Description Education: Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing and speaking English. High School diploma or equivalent. Associate or bachelor's degree in healthcare related field preferred.

Experience: Two (2) years' experience as a Sterile Instrument Technician or Surgical Technician required.

License(s): None

Certification(s): Sterile Instrument Technician - Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) at time of hire and Certified Instrument Specialist (CIS) within a year. Surgical Technician - Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) from NBSTSA or Tech in Surgery Certified (TS-C) from NCCT at time of hire and Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) required within a year.

Computer / Typing: Must be proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word and have the ability to use the computer to complete online learning requirements for job-specific competencies, access online forms and policies, complete online benefits enrollment, etc.