Discovering the barriers to efficient robotic operating room turnover time: perceptions vs. reality

Area of Science:

• Operating Room Management
• Human Factors Engineering
• Surgical Workflow Optimization

Background:

• Operating room turnover time (TOT) is critical for efficiency, especially with complex robotic systems.
• Inefficiencies in robotic turnovers can significantly impact surgical scheduling and resource utilization.
• A human factors approach is valuable for understanding and improving complex processes like robotic turnovers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate impediments to efficient robotic turnover time (TOT) using a human factors approach.
• To compare observed robotic TOT with operating room team members' perceptions.
• To identify specific areas for process improvement in robotic turnovers.

Main Methods:

• Direct observation of 20 robotic turnovers over two months at a tertiary hospital.
• Recording of key metrics: TOT, cleaning time, staff numbers, bed/instrument setup times, and delays.
• Administration of a questionnaire to 79 operating room team members regarding turnover perceptions.

Main Results:

• Average robotic TOT was 72 minutes (SD, 24 minutes).
• Cleaning (37.96%) and instrument setup (21.34%) were the most time-consuming observed activities.
• Team members' perceptions of TOT (estimated 60.36 minutes) and key contributing factors differed significantly from observed data.

Conclusions:

• Observed robotic TOT is longer than perceived by OR team members.
• Discrepancies exist between perceived and actual contributors to robotic turnover delays.
• Targeted interventions focusing on cleaning and instrument setup can improve robotic turnover efficiency.