What is the value of a surgical first assistant (SFA) during procedures? At SpecialtyCare, we’ve measured it from a multitude of angles. High quality SFA services can mean greater efficiency in the OR, a reduced number of late operations, increased surgeon satisfaction, and time for more procedures, which can yield millions of dollars in extra revenue.
The Quality of Our Surgical First Assistants and What We Measure
At SpecialtyCare, we run a high quality surgical first assistant program. Our SFAs are well-trained, certified or licensed (as required), and generally have at least five years of experience. They also continue to be trained on the latest techniques through SpecialtyCare University, ensuring that they are up to speed and ready to facilitate the best possible outcomes in your OR. This is instrumental, because SFA experience can factor heavily into results. According to Medicine, “SFA expertise is significantly associated with improved outcomes in surgery, including reduced SSI rates.”
We’re constantly measuring different variables to ensure that we’re making a positive impact on the surgical suite. Here are several that we track:
Having data on these variables allows us to create benchmarks, improve outcomes, and troubleshoot any suboptimal results. We’re dedicated to making surgery safer, which means constantly refining our performance to reduce risks, salvage time, and empower the surgical team. In a survey of 250 of our client surgeons, 99% say that our SFAs anticipate their surgical maneuvers all or most of the time, demonstrate a strong sense of commitment to patient care, and communicate well with the surgeon and surgical team.
Real Results: Freeing Up Time in the OR
Based on our numbers from 2024, each surgeon that our surgical first assistants work with saves an average of 41 minutes per day. The average daily surgeon time we’re saving per site is 156 minutes. This can easily translate into more time for procedures. For one client, the result was a 55% increase in surgical cases, adding up to approximately $1.2 million in extra revenue.
Additionally, our surgical first assistants are enabling shorter procedures, which is safer for patients and frees up more surgeon time. Surgeons working with SpecialtyCare SFAs complete robotic hysterectomy cases nearly 40 minutes faster than a recent published estimate. In cardiac surgeries, our completion time for endoscopic vein harvest is 35 minutes, which is 40% faster than the national average.
It’s not just about speed. The quality of our services builds trust and surgeon satisfaction. A recent survey of SpecialtyCare SFA surgeon customers demonstrated a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 91. Surgeon satisfaction is essential for morale and retention, and it allows your OR to continue running smoothly.
A Surgical First Assistant Program You Can Count On
SpecialtyCare has been the premier provider and trusted partner in Surgical First Assist services for over 16 years, serving 32 facilities, including three trauma centers. Over 140 of our SFA professionals are currently supporting 41,500 procedures every year, and we are certified by The Joint Commission in Health Care Staffing Services. Our range of advanced practice specialities spans a variety of fields, from orthopedics to neurology, robotics, cardiovascular, OB/GYN, and bariatrics.
You don’t need to recruit, train, and retain SFAs on your own when our professionals can integrate seamlessly with your team to improve efficiency and outcomes. Contact us today to learn more about our surgical first assistant program and how you can safely outsource your SFA services to SpecialtyCare!
