Proactive Evaluation of an Operating Room Prototype: A Simulation-Based Modeling Approach.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Operations Research
• Surgical Safety Engineering
• Hospital Design and Architecture

Background:

• High rates of postsurgical adverse events, including infections and flow disruptions, pose significant risks in industrial countries.
• Improving operating room (OR) safety and efficiency is critical to reduce mortality and morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify an optimal OR design that enhances staff workflow and safety.
• To evaluate the impact of room layout on risk and safety performance metrics.

Main Methods:

• Computer simulation modeling was employed to analyze OR traffic flow.
• A two-phase study involved historical data from 23 video observations and a detailed simulation model.

Main Results:

• Larger room sizes increase maneuverability but reduce undesirable contacts.
• An angled operating room table with the circulating nurse workstation at the foot optimizes space and minimizes contacts.
• Placing the nurse workstation near a wall further reduces undesirable staff contacts.

Conclusions:

• Simulation modeling indicates a medium-sized OR prototype performs well across key safety and efficiency metrics.
• Future research will refine simulation models to predict traffic-based safety and efficiency more accurately.