Productivity is not just a buzzword for AP Health, it is our value proposition. By consistently delivering a highly skilled and efficient team of surgical assistants and physician assistants, we increase the productivity of surgeons while lowering labor costs and decreasing operating room times.

I manage a team of 15 advanced practitioners who serve surgeons at St. Thomas Health Hospitals and United Surgical Partners facilities. I also work as a surgical assistant, which I’ve done for more than 25 years. I know, both as a practitioner and a manager, the impact a productive operating room has on surgeon efficiency, financial performance, and patient outcomes.

I tell my team of practitioners that we help set the tone in the Operating Room: that means getting in operating room early, hanging x-rays for the surgeon, setting trays of instrumentation, positioning the patient, and getting the patient prepped and draped for the surgeon to come in.

We help create a consistent workflow in the operating room, by having a can-do attitude- to accomplish whatever needs to be done. Having a highly trained, experienced, and dedicated surgical assistant makes the surgeon’s job easier, because they can focus on performing the surgery.  Our team at AP Health specializes in total joint replacements, sports medicine, and spine surgery.  Most of these procedures are done on an outpatient basis.

We optimize productivity in real time, which reduces our customers’ labor costs. We have shown that AP Health practitioners are often twice as productive as that of alternative solutions, especially hospitals with in-house staff. We take a lot of pride in what we do and in strengthening the relationships with our customers’ surgeons

I’ve been working with some of the same surgeons since 2003 and enjoy both the management and practitioner sides of my job. I get to work with a great team that makes a difference in the OR for our customers, the surgeons and the patients in our care. Our productivity and efficiency drive better outcomes for the surgeons and most importantly the patients.