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Publisher’s Note – January/February 2018

March 2, 2018

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Publisher’s Note – January/February 2018

The new year is upon us. This issue of the WP DOSS Review touches on some of the achievements of 2017 as well as
important issues facing Directors of Surgical Services in 2018 and beyond.

Whitman Partners had a successful 2017—filling a record-breaking 55 Director of Surgical Services positions. Of course, our primary resolution for 2018 is just that—to continue to be the #1 resource for Directors of Surgical  Services, both for our clients and for our candidates looking for their next career opportunity.

But beyond placements, 2017 was the year we emphasized a personal role in helping candidates better prepare themselves for new opportunities and evolving qualifications for the job market. Our relationship with the Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI) to offer free CSSM Test Prep was an important milestone and helped many Directors achieve this valuable credential. Similarly, our Whitman Partners Scholarship had its first recipient and will help a young nursing student complete his studies.

We now look forward with a new perspective about what it means to be a Director of Surgical Services. For starters we’ve learned that more DOSS are now reporting to Operations rather than Nursing. This shift has an impact on the task of filling director positions as well as on the qualifications and experience that will be expected from candidates.

We’ve also taken a deeper look at our own mission and asked ourselves, “What does it truly mean to serve this niche of ‘Director of Surgical Services?’”

One underserved area we’ve identified is in supporting Directors looking for qualified OR Educators, Nurse Managers, and SPD Directors. It is clear that for a hospital and Director of Surgical Services to fully optimize the efficiency, quality, and safety of their OR they need access to high-quality candidates in these roles.

In response, we spent the latter half of 2017 developing a powerful new Whitman Partners Interim Team devoted to supplying timely, qualified, vetted interim OR Educators, SPD Managers, CRNA, and OR Managers. With our new Interim Team—already actively filling these vital roles—we renew our commitment to providing our clients with interim leaders throughout the perioperative stream.

Please enjoy this issue of the WP DOSS Review and, as always, offer your feedback and suggestions on subjects of importance to you.

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2018!