Thoughts on a Safe, Compliant, and Effective Laser Safety Program: Part 1b
The LSO for Your Facility: “The Right Stuff!”
Choosing the key individual to be the LSO for your facility?
The perfect candidate would be someone that has a clinical background with the specialties consistently utilizing the technology, experience with some of the devices and equipment (experience with lasers), confidence, well respected by surgical staff/ medical staff, good organizational and communication skills, experience with safety programs, leadership abilities within the organization, and willing to learn and grow. That is undoubtedly a tall order for one individual! With the intense pressures of specialized healthcare teams today, it is becoming more common to key into individuals that meet some of these marks, recognize the areas that are missing and ensure that these individuals can enlist the expertise, knowledge, and experience of other team members that complete this circle. A good healthcare leader, which includes a good LSO, will recognize their own skills, recognize what other skills and knowledge are needed then enlist and encourage the involvement of others that fill these gaps. To accomplish this, it is imperative that this position be properly supported by the hospital administration. Success is a thriving initiative-taking team with leadership that supports the evolution of that team and engages that team with each patient. Like any successful team, it takes a bit more time on the front end to do it right, but the rewards and benefits to the patient, physicians, staff, and organization are well worth it. The benefits are long-lasting and over time, become self-sustaining.
The LSO can be a risk management professional, an occupational health and safety officer, an infection control professional, a biomedical engineer, a physician, a nurse, a clinical educator, a staff member such as a nurse, surgical technologist, or other qualified health care personnel (HCP) with experience or expertise in one or more laser use medical/ surgical specialties. Elevated risk laser applications, such as airway procedures, often utilize individuals with experience in this area to lead laser safety programs. The key is to utilize the strengths of the appointed LSO and build a strong cohesive team that will provide support in the experience areas that the LSO may lack.
Also, the use of outside safety consultants for the LSO position has been considered by some facility administrators. Caution should be applied before such a decision is made. Once the facility has a good understanding of the duties, responsibilities and benefits of the involved facility LSO, speak with your hospital attorneys first before contracting for these outside services. This is sometimes a short-term fix for the lack of professionally trained available personnel that will limit the ability of good decisions best made by the knowledgeable facility team members to protect their own patients, staff, and facility reputation. The LSO positions are the key contact people and spokesperson for the laser program, liaison for physicians, staff, hospital safety committees and administrators, key individuals for external audits and performing regular internal audits, key players in medical/ legal situations, always available for any compliance or accrediting bodies. These individuals achieve the best outcomes by garnering good relationships with multiple facets of talents within the organization and medical staff. I always recommend caution when facilities are considering placing the health and safety of their patients and staff into the hands of a third-party contracting service.
The best choice for the LSO and support team will depend on the individual needs and structure of each individual facility, organization, and/or health system.
A well-trained and engaged LSO will also often be utilized as a trusted source of knowledge and information in the assessment of new equipment. Facilities that recognize the strengths of their leadership can count on insights that will help ensure that the proper equipment is considered based on best outcomes as well as cost savings upon purchase, ease of use, portability and versatility, support and installation costs/requirements and limitations of the equipment. Today, as medical/ surgical laser technology is once again riding a great wave crest of scientific and technological advancement, the knowledge and ability of a well-trained LSO can have the ability to see through the cloud of commercialization of new laser device competitors. Also, awareness of issues like new more advanced technology becoming available while older more expensive options are still actively marketed can save hospitals considerable costs. This area can be dauting without input from a trusted healthcare professional with knowledge and experience in this area. This input can save precious resources for the facility such as utilization insight, initial costs, maintenance costs, portability, ease of use, equipment dependability and support, and expertise in operator training and competencies. The most important consideration for this decision, however, is a willingness to grow and learn and relish in the growth of others.
GCA Laser Safety