Operating room utilization: information management systems

Advances during the past year in operational decision making using information management systems data have been predominantly in better understanding of how to allocate operating room time based on operating room efficiency, not just operating room utilization.

Each quarter, operating room allocations based on maximizing operating room efficiency can be calculated with 6-10 months of data. Analysis can be performed using operating room or anesthesia information management system data. Uncertainty in knowing the operating rooms in which cases were performed (i.e. in knowing turnover times) has little effect on operating room allocations or efficiency. It is important, however, that when a service has filled its allocated operating room time and has a new case to schedule, the case be scheduled into the operating room time of another service. The service whose operating room time is released can be the service with the largest difference between allocated and scheduled operating room time at the time when the new case is scheduled. If optimal operating room allocations and case scheduling based on maximizing operating room efficiency are not implemented, the resulting increase in anesthesia group labor costs can be used in negotiations as a statistically sound estimate for the increased labor cost to the group.

During the last couple of years there has been continual advancement in our understanding of how to analyze operating room information system data based on operating room efficiency. Work has expanded from operating room allocations to case scheduling, releasing allocated operating room time, and addressing implementation challenges including poor data quality or lack of interest in change.