Idea Exchange: Ticktock, ticktock, mark surgery time on the clock

An easy way to keep track of surgery time is to mark it on a clock. Using a water-soluble marker, draw a line at the time surgery begins and another when it ends; use different colors if the surgery lasts more than an hour. Later, a staff member can calculate the time and complete the surgery report and invoice the charges accordingly. When the paperwork is finished, he or she can easily wash off the lines.

Dr. Ellen Kuchenbrod

Urbana, Ill.