Scheduling for anesthesia at geographic locations remote from the operating room

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Workflow Optimization

Background:

• Anesthesia delivery outside the operating room presents unique logistical and medical challenges.
• Effective scheduling is crucial for maximizing anesthesia provider productivity in remote settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and propose optimal scheduling strategies for general anesthesia at remote locations.
• To enhance anesthesia productivity and minimize underutilized time.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of scheduling models to identify factors influencing anesthesia labor productivity.
• Discussion of allocated time blocks versus open scheduling for remote procedures.

Main Results:

• Maximum anesthesia productivity is achieved by allocating dedicated time blocks (8-10 hours) every two weeks for remote specialties with sufficient case volume.
• Sequential scheduling into allocated time is essential to prevent underutilized staff time and reduce productivity.
• Open or first-come, first-served time can be utilized by remote locations lacking dedicated blocks.

Conclusions:

• Remote locations with adequate case hours should be granted dedicated, reserved time slots for scheduling.
• Implementing reserved time aims for an average patient wait time of one week, with a maximum of two weeks.