S
ue Hrnicek, MSN, RN, CNOR, is a self-described gate-
keeper to the OR. As director of surgical services at
Columbus (Neb.) Community Hospital, she decides
which capital equipment warrants consideration for pur-
chase, compares pricing in search of the best value, sets
up and monitors product trials, writes lengthy justifications about the
investments that need to be made and presents her research to mem-
bers of the hospital's C-suite. She's currently working on outfitting 4
ORs with 4K imaging and larger video monitors. All of the proposals
and paperwork for the $1 million project have come across her desk.
"I don't write the checks, but I do nearly everything else," laughs Ms.
Hrnicek.
Her situation probably sounds familiar. More than half (56%) of
the 402 ASC administrators and 44% of the 264 hospital surgical
managers who participated in Outpatient Surgery's 13
th
annual
salary survey say they're "very involved" in deciding which prod-
ucts reach the OR. Nearly half (45%) of the ASC administrators
control $100,000 to $500,000 on capital equipment purchases each
year and one-fifth (20%) allocate more than $1 million to big-
ticket items. The hospital leaders spend more on new equip-
ment: 41% earmark more than $1 million a year.
That's a whole lot of purchasing power. Surgeons might think
they have the final say in the OR, but they're working with tools
you've already approved. You're the one who assesses your facili-
ty's equipment needs and decides how much to spend. You're the
one pouring over price quotes while putting together the annual
capital equipment budget. You're the one vendors call when they
want to get their latest products into your facility. You're the one
who signs off on purchase orders before a single penny is spent.
J A n U A R Y 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 3 7
