Whitney Johnson
Vice President of OperationsAbbott Northwestern HospitalWhitney Johnson is a healthcare executive and registered nurse currently serving as the Vice President of Operations for Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Her past roles for Allina Health include serving as a Community Hospital President for multiple Allina Health hospitals, where she provided executive oversight of clinical, financial, and operational performance. In addition, Whitney has served as the Director of Surgical Services for Abbott Northwestern Hospital and the Director of Nursing Operations for Phillip’s Eye Institute, with a focus on perioperative services, strategy, and campus development. Whitney holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota.
E101 – Operation Revolution: Lessons From a Three‑Floor OR and Perioperative Design
Transforming surgical services is one of the most complex and high-stakes operational challenges in healthcare, especially when operating rooms and pe…Transforming surgical services is one of the most complex and high-stakes operational challenges in healthcare, especially when operating rooms and perioperative services expand across multiple floors and shift from siloed units to fully interchangea…Transforming surgical services is one of the most complex and high-stakes operational challenges in healthcare, especially when operating rooms and perioperative services expand across multiple floors and shift from siloed units to fully interchangeable spaces. This session shares a case study from a major hospital transition where the surgical platform moved from one floor to three vertically distributed floors while consolidating pre-op, post-o…Transforming surgical services is one of the most complex and high-stakes operational challenges in healthcare, especially when operating rooms and perioperative services expand across multiple floors and shift from siloed units to fully interchangeable spaces. This session shares a case study from a major hospital transition where the surgical platform moved from one floor to three vertically distributed floors while consolidating pre-op, post-op, and PACU into an interchangeable room model shared across all specialties. What initially felt impossible, limited visibility across floors, concerns about staffing coverage, uncertainty about patient flow, and anxiety about losing established routines, became an opportunity to build a resilient, efficient, and team-centered system. Through structured change management, detailed workflow mapping, simulation events, readiness assessments and continuous stakeholder engagement, the organization shifted from resistance and fear to clarity and collaboration. While grounded in perioperative services, the methods and lessons are transferable to any organization managing major spatial redistribution, service integration, or high-risk operational change. Attendees will leave with a practical framework to convert complexity into an organized system that staff trust and patients experience as seamless.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
