Podcast Summary: Improving Patient Access Through Data Driven OR Operations
Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: Improving Patient Access Through Data Driven OR Operations
Release Date: March 11, 2026
Host: Scott Becker
Guest: Megan Eubanks, Senior Director of Business Operations, Perioperative and Procedural Services, University of Kansas Health System
Episode Overview
This episode features Scott Becker in conversation with Megan Eubanks from the University of Kansas Health System. The discussion centers on leveraging data and artificial intelligence to improve patient access and operational efficiency in surgical operations, especially in the context of evolving healthcare challenges. Megan shares practical insights on building resilient perioperative systems, the value of actionable data, and her experiences integrating AI tools with existing EHR infrastructure. The episode also touches briefly on Megan’s philanthropic efforts outside her professional role.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction to Megan Eubanks & the University of Kansas Health System
- Megan’s Role: Senior Director of Business Operations for perioperative and procedural services, overseeing seven surgical locations and 66 operating rooms performing over 40,000 surgeries annually ([00:37]).
- Focus Areas: Operations, access, strategy, and leadership in making patient care more accessible while supporting care-delivery teams.
2. Building Operational Resilience in a Changing Healthcare Landscape
- Resilience is About Access: Megan positions resilience in the perioperative sphere primarily as maintaining and improving patient access, regardless of external constraints ([02:35]).
- Discovery from Data Analysis:
- 100% of ORs were formally "blocked" for surgeons, but actual utilization was only 50-55%.
- Late block releases (48-72 hours notice) limited flexibility for reassigning available OR time.
Quote:
“We found something interesting: on paper, 100% of our ORs were blocked...but when you actually dug into utilization, it was only about 50 to 55%.”
— Megan Eubanks [02:53]
- AI Partnership: Chose to partner with LeanTaaS to bridge the gap between data and operational decisions, improve patient access, and create a scalable, adaptable system ([03:44]).
3. Moving Beyond Epic: The Case for Advanced Analytics
- Strengths and Limitations of Epic:
- Epic provides comprehensive data, but extracting actionable intelligence requires cumbersome manual work ([04:53]).
- Need for Actionable Information:
- Tools like LeanTaaS translate complex data into actionable signals and predictive analytics.
- Surgeons and teams receive real-time alerts about their OR time utilization and opportunities for releasing or acquiring additional time.
- Shifts from data visibility to operational change: “Visibility to data alone doesn’t change behavior. We’re a lean organization and believe in signals…” ([05:23]).
Quote:
“Tools like LeanTaaS help translate really complex data into information that can help provide operational guidance and serve as those signals.”
— Megan Eubanks [05:24]
4. Levers That Drove Growth and Efficiency
- Transparency as a Lever:
- Openly sharing data on block performance empowered individuals to govern themselves.
- Early release and surfacing available OR time allowed for better reallocation and utilization.
Quote:
“The more that we were transparent with our data, the more that individuals started governing even themselves.”
— Megan Eubanks [07:20]
- Cultural Shift:
- Surgeons and teams now proactively release and claim OR time, increasing engagement and operational efficiency.
- Results:
- 3–8% year-over-year surgical volume growth.
- Maintained prime-time utilization at 72–74%.
- Release fill rate at 54%.
- 23% year-over-year growth in demand for open time ([07:50]).
5. Recommendations for Leaders: Embedding Governance and Simplicity
- Integrate Analytics into Policy & Process:
- Governance structures incorporate the use of analytic tools directly into block/scheduling policies.
- Consistent policy review with leadership and use of "opportunity analytics."
- Policy requires using analytics tools for additional OR time requests ([09:24]).
- Cultural Integration:
- Data-driven tools aren’t a “side product”—they’re embedded into daily workflows and decision-making.
Quote:
“It’s not just a side product, it’s part of our process and it’s built into our policy and built into our governance as well.”
— Megan Eubanks [10:04]
6. Brief Personal Note: Philanthropy and the MS Ride
- Cycling & Community:
- Megan co-chairs the Royal Blue Riders for the Kansas City bike MS charity event ([11:01]).
- The cause is personally meaningful, as a family member was diagnosed with MS.
- The team has grown to be a top fundraiser for MS research in the region.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Building Efficient OR Operations:
“Our goal really wasn’t just efficiency...but helping to build a system that is scalable, that could flex and adapt to conditions when they change.”
— Megan Eubanks [03:49] -
On Data Transparency:
“Having that transparency around block performance and then what time is available in the OR has been extremely powerful for us.”
— Megan Eubanks [07:22] -
On Culture and Policy:
“You have to build governance into your processes...that way instead of it becoming a one-time initiative, it just becomes the way that we operate as part of our operating model.”
— Megan Eubanks [09:30–10:04]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00–00:37 — Introduction of guest and her role
- 02:35–04:23 — Building resilience and data-driven journey
- 04:53–06:25 — Moving beyond Epic: actionable analytics
- 07:13–08:51 — Driving transparency, engagement, and OR efficiency
- 09:24–10:45 — Embedding governance and analytics into policy
- 11:01–11:57 — Philanthropy: Cycling and MS fundraising
Tone & Language
- Conversational, practical, and focused on actionable advice.
- Emphasis on data-driven transformation, transparency, and collaborative leadership.
- Megan’s responses are patient-centered and operationally grounded, highlighting a culture of continuous improvement.
Summary Takeaways
For healthcare leaders, this episode demonstrates how integrating advanced analytics into perioperative operations can significantly enhance efficiency, transparency, and access—especially in resource-constrained environments. Embedding these tools into governance and daily practice fosters a sustainable culture of improvement.
For listeners seeking to improve operational resilience in healthcare, Megan’s experience at the University of Kansas Health System offers a compelling case for leveraging both technology and culture change.