When Dr. Alan J. Sim, MD, FASA, joined Mount Sinai South Nassau (MSSN) as NAPA Chairman of Anesthesiology, he faced a challenge: prolonged patient discharge times in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) causing bottlenecks, impacting surgical case flow, and affecting overall satisfaction. Collaborating with a dedicated team, Dr. Sim uncovered barriers to discharge and initiated targeted improvements.
The NAPA anesthesia team’s initiatives led to remarkable results, reducing PACU patient length of stay (LOS) from approximately 100 minutes to around 60 minutes and cutting Endoscopy patient LOS by about 30 minutes. These achievements were made possible by a series of strategic solutions.
Additionally, a focus on communication and staff training created a more efficient Fast-Track Phase 2 PACU. The comprehensive change management strategy has successfully moved patients to discharge more quickly, improving surgical throughput, perioperative culture, and stakeholder satisfaction.
Learn more about how these changes have transformed the patient experience and OR efficiency at MSSN.