Name
How Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center Cleared Its Entire Surgical Backlog in 3 Months
Date & Time
Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Speakers
Martha Soto, MSN, RN, CNOR, Director Of Perioperative Services, Nursing Administration, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
Maria J. Cortez, DPA, RN, Nurse Manager, Surgery - Outpatient Pavilion, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
Kaylie Firebaugh, Client Outcomes Specialist, LeanTaaS
Maria J. Cortez, DPA, RN, Nurse Manager, Surgery - Outpatient Pavilion, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
Kaylie Firebaugh, Client Outcomes Specialist, LeanTaaS
Description
Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC), a 427-bed community medical center, faced a daunting 2–3 month surgical backlog. In just 90 days, they eliminated it entirely. In this session, Martha Soto and Maria Cortez share how their team leveraged data-driven strategies and technology to overcome fragmented scheduling processes, manual workflows, and communication barriers across multiple facilities.
Attendees will learn how PVHMC not only cleared its backlog but also set new records in case volumes, improved resource utilization, and realized significant financial ROI—all while building a cohesive, empowered scheduling team.
Key Takeaways
- Operational Excellence Blueprint: Transform fragmented, paper-based scheduling into streamlined, cross-department digital workflows that improve visibility across Main OR, Outpatient Pavilion, and GI clinics.
- Resource Optimization Framework: See how proactive block management enabled PVHMC to release 142 blocks (46,000 minutes) and fill 47% of that time with additional cases.
- Financial Impact Mode: Understand how these operational improvements delivered ROI in just six months through FTE cost savings and record post-implementation case volumes.
- Change Management Playbook: Gain practical insights into achieving 100% scheduler adoption across facilities and uniting 83 unique clinic schedulers into one cohesive team.
topic