Leaving a firm foundation

Anesthesiology chair hands perioperative services reins to Karr

Like nurturing a child into adulthood, Dr. Claude Brunson has shepherded the Division of Perioperative Services from infancy through growing pains and into maturity.

He knew that if operating-room services grew the way he hoped, one day he would need to step down as administrator to focus his full attention on chairing the Department of Anesthesiology.

That day was March 1.

Management of the operating rooms in University Hospital, the Day Surgery Center and the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children is now in the hands of Betsy Karr, formerly associate administrator of perioperative services. She said Brunson laid the groundwork for making the division a success.

“His background in anesthesia and role in the OR enabled him to see the future and understand where we needed to go,” Karr said. “All I have to do is walk in his footprints.”

Brunson’s role as administrator of perioperative services came unexpectedly. In 2002, his term as chief of staff ended and he was asked to take on the new challenge of managing the operating rooms. A month later, he became interim chair of anesthesiology.

Brunson said it was an opportunity to build the division from scratch using best practices from exceptional perioperative services programs around the country.

“His leadership was instrumental in improving relationships and improving quality in this important area,” said Dr. Dan Jones, vice chancellor for health affairs. “I am grateful for his service.”

Fourteen operating rooms and a sterile processing facility were added under Brunson’s tenure. The number of surgical cases rose from roughly 15,000 to 20,000, and the level of professionalism and communication both inside and outside the OR improved.

David Putt, interim CEO of University Hospitals and Health System, said Brunson took over an area that had struggled over the years and needed someone to provide guidance and leadership.

“We owe him a thank you and a job well done,” Putt said.

The administration of perioperative services will be a seamless transition to Karr, who has been associate administrator since 2006. She and Brunson joke that they work so closely together, “we’re joined at the hip.”

A graduate of the University of Alabama and Jefferson State School of Nursing, Karr, an RN, was the divisional director of surgical services (chief surgical officer) for HealthSouth Medical Center/UAB in Birmingham before joining the Medical Center.

“The reason I came here was Dr. Brunson’s passion for what we do here and the opportunity to make a difference at an institution that is undergoing dramatic improvements,” she said.

Brunson plans to advance research in his department, including the use of the simulation center to build a robust research effort. He also looks forward to evolving anesthesiology’s subspecialties.

“We have a sense of excitement in the department and we want to take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.

-Patrice Sawyer Guilfoyle

2009-03-17 00:00:00 18872