Optimizing Surgical Efficiency at the VA with Digital Preference Cards

PREFcards™ standardizes and streamlines surgical preference cards for improved accuracy, cost-savings, and staff satisfaction.  

For the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), surgical preference cards ensure that surgeons have the right equipment, supplies, and instruments for each procedure.  

These cards capture details such as glove size and even preferred background music during surgeries. However, inconsistencies in how they’re maintained can create confusion, waste, and inefficiencies. 

For example, terminology varies across facilities, with some using vendor-specific names and others opting for generic terms, which can lead to miscommunication. In addition, storing preference cards in Excel or SharePoint makes tracking changes difficult – there’s often no record of who updated them or whether modifications were necessary. A single preference change after one surgery can unintentionally become permanent. 

Handwritten cards also add further inefficiencies. For example, preference cards that are not updated and easily accessible can cause increased time spent by staff members searching for the right surgical supplies, which can potentially increase staff dissatisfaction. 

Fortunately, there are key innovations that standardize and digitize preference cards to improve accuracy, streamline workflows, reduce supply costs, and enhance patient safety. 

PREFcards™ for the VA

Provided by leading health IT solutions companies DSS and LiveData to the VA, PREFcards™ offers electronic versions of the lists that surgeons use to specify their preferred instruments, supplies, and equipment for specific surgical procedures.  

Unlike traditional paper-based cards, digital preference cards are stored and accessed electronically, making them easier to build, manage, and update. This eliminates the limitations of physical documents and allows for real-time changes and better accessibility for all relevant personnel. 

PREFcards™ allows for quick retrieval of information, reducing time spent searching for specific items. The solution also streamlines the process of updating cards to reflect changes in surgical practice or surgeon preferences, eliminating the need for manual updates of physical cards.  

Ultimately, this translates to smoother case preparation, faster turnaround times, and a more efficient overall workflow in the operating room and throughout the perioperative process. 

Key Benefits of PREFcards™ 

The following are the key benefits of PREFcards™ to the VA: 

• Enhanced Efficiencies and Accuracies: It is much easier to build, manage, and update cards to best meet surgeon’s or perioperative needs, which improves workflow efficiency. PREFcards™ can also improve inventory management by reducing supply returns and increasing time savings.  

• Enhanced Preparation for Procedures: With up-to-date preference cards, case cart management is more accurate, ensuring proper preparation for procedures. 

• Cost Reduction: By improving case cost accuracy, digital preference cards such as PREFcards™ assists with reducing waste and maximizing resources, leading to optimal cost-savings. End users are also able to keep track of usage of supplies and equipment per case.  

• Staff Satisfaction: The updated and easily accessible solution decreases the time staff members spend searching for the right surgical supplies, ultimately improving efficiency and potentially increasing staff satisfaction. Staff also gain more confidence in knowing that they have the most up-to-date preference cards by provider. 

In addition, digital preference cards can help VA to become a high reliability organization. For example, they contribute to a safer environment for patients by improving inventory

Click here to learn more about this solution for the VA. Contact us today to schedule a demo of PREFcards™.