As Surgeon-in-Chief at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, I see firsthand how operating room time is one of our most valuable – and limited – resources. In the wake of our system’s evolution from a busy community hospital to a more academically-oriented, complex care environment, we needed a more transparent, data-driven approach to manage surgical capacity. That need ultimately led us to implement iQueue for Operating Rooms from LeanTaaS.
Before iQueue, our OR scheduling process felt stuck in another era. We relied on Excel spreadsheets and fragmented communication, and pulling data from the EHR was slow and cumbersome. Surgeons were frustrated, some couldn’t get the time they needed, while other blocks sat idle. With schedulers working from an off-site facility, real-time coordination was nearly impossible. And without a shared system for tracking and acting on metrics, we had no clear view of our bottlenecks or how to improve block utilization.
We evaluated several solutions, but LeanTaaS stood out. I first encountered their work through their book, Better Healthcare Through Math, and was impressed by the practical, surgeon-led case studies. When we engaged the iQueue team, they brought not just the technology, but a true partnership. Their team worked closely with ours – including operational leaders, clinic staff, and the OR scheduling team – to tailor the solution to our needs and build trust across all levels of the organization.
Change management was, of course, a challenge. Some clinicians were reluctant to give up control or adapt to a new process. But with consistent engagement and support, we were able to bring everyone along. Leaders like Jill Nora, our Coordinator of Surgical Business Operations, and Sherri Greenwood, our Vice President of Surgical and Procedural Services, were instrumental in driving adoption. The LeanTaaS team became more than just a vendor; they became a part of our team, working side-by-side with us to overcome hurdles and make the implementation a success.
And the early results speak for themselves. In one year:
- Block utilization increased by 4.4%, driven by better scheduling visibility and proactive release behaviors
- Unused block time decreased by over 87,000 minutes, as we reallocated and filled open time more effectively
Prime time utilization rose by 4.8%, maximizing use of our highest-value hours - Staffed room utilization improved by 2.6%, even as we added capacity
- Block release lead time jumped from 14 to 23 days, giving schedulers more flexibility and improving patient communication
- Case volume increased by 4.5%, reflecting more efficient use of OR capacity and streamlined scheduling workflows
Beyond the metrics, iQueue has helped us change the culture. We now have real-time access to our data. We can identify and challenge assumptions, like one ENT surgeon who thought she had a block utilization problem, but actually needed to address turnover time. Our schedulers are no longer inundated with early morning calls; instead, they can focus on more complex scheduling challenges. Our surgeons are more engaged and accountable, empowered with the tools to understand and improve their own efficiency.
Perhaps most importantly, we’re creating the kind of transparency and collaboration that will support long-term change. iQueue has exposed the disparities in how different practice units operate and opened the door for conversations about standardization, fairness, and access.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to roll out LeanTaaS’ capabilities that enable stronger surgical coordination and visibility by the end of this year. This full set of capabilities gives OR teams real-time surgical status, targeted alerts, and vendor-safe planning, while also enabling smarter staffing and daily assignments. By bringing these tools together, we help ensure the right staff are in the right room at the right time, improving coordination and patient care. Ultimately, these features improve patient care by making sure we have the right staff in the right room at the right time.
If I could offer one piece of advice to other health systems beginning this journey, it’s this: don’t underestimate the importance of executive sponsorship and clinical leadership. A technology solution alone can’t transform your OR. But the right partner, with the right leadership and buy-in, absolutely can.
About Dr. Guy Petruzzelli
Guy J. Petruzzelli, MD, PhD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist and nationally recognized expert in head and neck surgical oncology. He currently serves as Surgeon-in-Chief at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center and Director of its Integrated Head & Neck Surgery Program. With dual MD/PhD degrees from Rush Medical College and an MBA in Health Care from Benedictine University, Dr. Petruzzelli brings a unique blend of clinical, academic, and operational leadership to his role. His career spans decades of innovation in academic medicine and executive leadership in oncology services, positioning him as a key driver of surgical strategy and performance at OSF’s flagship hospital.
