Ideas That Work: Glued to Your Seat

Our cataract surgery patients never have to move from their pre-operative stretcher chair. We’ve programmed our 4 chairs to the exact height needed, per station, throughout our 2-OR suite: positions for pre-op, transport, surgery and post-op. We simply push a button for programmed position 1, 2, 3 or 4, and then hang the remote on a hook on the chair’s armrest.

• The first button puts the surgical chair into a Semi- Fowler’s position, perfect for patients to rest comfortably while we administer dilation drops.
• The second button, for OR 1, adjusts patients into the exact physician-desired height for bladeless cataract treatments.
• The third button, for OR 2, is positioned exclusively for phaco.
• The fourth and final programmed button returns patients to Semi-Fowler’s, which is the proper position for recovery and transfer to PACU.

Each stretcher chair is around $15,000. For a repetitive procedure like cataract surgery, not having to fiddle with the height of the chair saves valuable time during the day, and streamlines the surgical process and patient flow. The staff know which button to use for each station, ensuring a comfortable and easy transition for the staff and patients.

Victoria Wiltshire, MBA, BSN, RN
SightTrust Eye Institute
Sunrise, Fla.
[email protected]