Financial and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report

During the AORN Congress: House of Delegates & Closing Ceremony on Tuesday, officials from AORN presented the Financial Report and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) report.

Financial Report

In the financial overview, Treasurer Heidi L. Nanavati MSN, CRNP, CNOR reported that AORN generated $38.3 million in total revenue across all divisions, with AORN, Inc. contributing nearly $33 million.

In 2024, additional revenue came from Pfiedler Education, Outpatient Surgery Magazine, the AORN Foundation, and AORN Syntegrity. However, despite this broad income base, AORN experienced a $2.7 million shortfall compared to 2023—marking the first reported loss in 15 years.

The downturn was driven by reduced spending from hospitals and industry partners facing economic challenges, along with lower sales of key resources such as Periop 101 – A Core Curriculum™.

To address the shortfall, AORN implemented proactive measures, including expense reductions and a workforce reduction in November. While the financial environment has become more complex, AORN’s strong financial planning over the past decade has paid off. The organization’s reserves—built through profits, investment returns, and one-time gains like the sale of its headquarters—have grown by 300% over the past 10 years, providing a solid safety net during challenging times.

“Over the years, AORN has done a very good job of ensuring strong reserves,” she said. “The reserves include cash, along with an investment portfolio, which consists of both short- and long-term investments.”

“We are in a turnaround and making changes where it can be challenging,” Nanavati said. “We suffered a hiccup, but we’re in a great position to overcome this.”

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

“We’re steadfast in DEI and we’re not going to stop.” That was the message from AORN Chief Financial Officer James Cousin in the annual report.

“Members have asked if we were going to step back from our DEI initiatives. We’re going to continue to move forward while also following the laws and policy changes,” he said. “It’s important we continue this.”

Cousin shared that AORN’s program is entering its sixth year and noted progress in providing education and resources to improve access and outcomes for every patient, every time. AORN will be releasing its health equity tool kit shortly, and is continuing its work to support member as they deliver care across patient populations in these challenging times.