Daily huddles can help ASC staff prepare for potential challenges and foreseeable issues, according to Lakewood, Colo.-based ASC management company Pinnacle III.
Five tips for running an efficient daily huddle:
1. Keep huddles brief. Exclusively discuss concerns about the upcoming surgical day. Only bring up relevant issues.
2. Be strategic about scheduling. If your surgery center has problems with staffing and instrument availability, a midafternoon meeting may be best. ASCs struggling with poor workflow, coordination or communication should consider meeting in the mornings.
3. Designate one location. Keeping the huddle spot consistent facilitates regular participation. Consider asking staff where they'd prefer to huddle up.
4. Only include essential staff. The daily huddle should typically include a single person from each department.
5. Establish order. Decide who will speak and in what order. Follow that format for every meeting to avoid wasting time.