Managing Todays OR Suite Conference Emphasizes Teamwork

The power of teams was a theme at the 19th annual Managing Todays OR Suite, held Nov 8-10, 2006 in Orlando. The conference, sponsored by OR Manager, Inc., brought together 839 operating room managers and directors for three days of education and a surgical trade show with 88 exhibitors.

Event keynote speaker Joe Bujak, MD, FACP, emphasized the value of teamwork in the OR, explaining that physicians and nurses both consider themselves to be team players, but have a different concept of what it means to be part of a team. Physicians train to be experts. Nurses are trained to work together as a team, Bujak said. He suggested that by understanding their differences, nurses and physicians can put them in perspective and join in dialogue. If you dont understand the differences, you may doubt others ability. You may even deny their competence or motivation, he added. Bujak is vice president of medical affairs at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, and speaks, writes, and consults about transformational change and the physician-executive partnership.

The conference also honored as OR Manager of the Year Peggy Doyle, RN, MSN, director of the OR and perioperative services at Brigham & Womens Hospital in Boston. Doyle was recognized for her visionary leadership in her 27 years of service at one of the nations leading medical centers.

OR Managers president, Elinor S. Schrader, commented: Our conferences have a strong following. Were always grateful to the OR leaders who take time from their busy schedules to be presenters and share their expertise with their colleagues. It is their contributions that make the conference so valuable to our attendees.

The conference received strong evaluations, with 93 percent rating it as excellent or very good.