A Q&A With Matt Ruby, Program Chair

Learn more about what makes this year’s OR Business Management conference a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with industry peers.

As we gear up for the OR Business Management Conference, we wanted to share some exclusive insights from a seasoned attendee and thought leader in the perioperative space, Matt Ruby, Director of Operations, Surgical Services at Northwestern Medicine and Program Chair for OR Business Management Conference.

In this Q&A, Ruby delves into the key sessions, challenges and trends shaping the conference. Whether you’re a returning attendee or joining us for the first time, this conversation is packed with valuable perspectives on why this is a must-attend event for surgical suite leaders.

Q: What key trends or emerging topics are you most excited about covering at this year’s event?

RUBY: I am so excited for this year’s conference. One topic I am looking forward to discussing is supply chain. With the recent national fluid shortage, I can’t wait to learn how other organizations handled this. Additionally, last year was the first time the conference introduced peer-to-peer roundtable meetings, which offer a great setting to share issues going on at your own organizations. In these sessions, participants actively discuss relevant topics with one another to learn valuable information from others around the country.

Q: What should first-time attendees expect when they arrive at the OR Business Management Conference, and what they can expect to take away?

RUBY: First off, for the first-time attendees, please take advantage of our networking sessions. These are invaluable opportunities to meet others with similar struggles. Connections I’ve made have been accessible over the years for anything I had questions about or was interested in learning new ways of thinking about problems. Throughout the year, I join and host several fact-finding sessions with other conference attendees to learn best practices and new concepts.

Q: How did you enjoy the peer-to-peer roundtable discussions last year? What can attendees expect this year?

RUBY: At last year’s roundtable, I hosted about a dozen perioperative leaders for a session on OR efficiency. This is a topic that we, as a group, have not solved yet…it was great hearing from others about different ways to think about these issues. The group also was able to challenge and build off each other for unique efficiency ideas or projects.

This year, I’m very much looking forward to hosting another round table. While presentations are enjoyable, these roundtable sessions are for active participation. Instead of sitting and listening, it’s our opportunity to have real discussions with other perioperative leaders – many are from nationally ranked and well-known health systems, and we’re able to sit in a room with other experts.

Q: Why do you think it is important to attend OR Business Management Conference?

RUBY: I love having an opportunity to meet others with the same daily challenges. When I last presented on block utilization and spoke about difficulties making block changes, the whole room nodded their heads. It’s really important that we know we’re not alone dealing with very real issues, there are many other people who go through the same things day in and day out. It’s a wonderful feeling to know there is a club of perioperative leaders bigger than we think out there.

Book your education vacation to sunny Tampa, Florida, and experience for yourself the insights, peer-to-peer collaboration, and innovations available to transform your perioperative business operations and achieve peak performance!