IMPROVING OPERATING ROOM EFFICIENCY, PART 1: GENERAL MANAGERIAL AND PREOPERATIVE STRATEGIES

In the operating room setting, optimal efficiency is achieved by the ability to deliver the highest-quality care with the minimal use of time, money, and space. The recent implementation of quality-improvement methodologies aims to improve patient care and cost-effectiveness in the health-care setting by enabling a system to identify and target valuable metrics of operating room inefficiencies. The operating room schedule must be developed using a well-planned approach with strategies to buffer unexpected variables, such as moving a patient to another available operating room in cases of delay, while taking into consideration the preferences of the surgeon and staff. The preoperative medical clearance is essential for managing the risk factors associated with negative outcomes and also can help in predicting and avoiding potential medical factors that might lead to operating room delays and inefficiencies. All improvement techniques should be managed and implemented by hospital administration personnel and surgeons to ensure optimal operating room efficiency, patient satisfaction, and improved outcomes.