Rapid standardized operating rooms (RAPSTOR) in thyroid and parathyroid surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical efficiency
• Operating room management
• Endocrine surgery

Background:

• Optimizing operating room (OR) workflow is crucial for improving surgical capacity and reducing healthcare costs.
• Standardized equipment sets (SES) and consecutive case scheduling (CCS) are strategies to enhance OR efficiency.
• The Rapid Standardized OR (RAPSTOR) model integrates SES and CCS for specific surgical procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the RAPSTOR model on turnover times (TOT), case volumes, patient outcomes, hospital costs, and OR efficiency/stress for hemithyroid/parathyroid surgery.
• To compare the RAPSTOR model with traditional scheduling methods (sequential and non-sequential).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study involving patients undergoing hemithyroidectomy or unilateral parathyroidectomy.
• Patients were scheduled using the RAPSTOR model (SES and CCS).
• Control groups included sequential (CS) and non-sequential (CNS) scheduling. Data on TOT, operative time, discharge time, costs, and complications were collected. Surveys assessed OR efficiency and stress.

Main Results:

• RAPSTOR significantly increased mean case number per hour (1.2) compared to CS (0.9) and CNS (0.7).
• Average operative time was reduced in RAPSTOR (32 min) versus CNS (48 min).
• Time to discharge was significantly reduced in RAPSTOR (595 min) compared to CNS (1210 min). No significant difference in complication rates was observed.
• RAPSTOR demonstrated decreased direct operative costs and improved OR efficiency and workflow based on survey responses.

Conclusions:

• The RAPSTOR model enhances OR efficiency and increases surgical capacity for hemithyroid/parathyroid procedures.
• This standardized approach leads to reduced costs without compromising patient safety or outcomes.
• Implementing SES and CCS within a standardized OR framework offers a valuable strategy for optimizing endocrine surgery workflows.