The Selection of Main Surgical Work Factors in Operating Rooms

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Safety
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Adverse events in operating rooms (ORs) are often linked to deficiencies in surgeons' cognitive and interpersonal skills.
• Existing research primarily focuses on clinical knowledge and technical skills, neglecting crucial non-technical factors.
• Maintaining high reliability of surgical teams is paramount for error minimization in ORs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key factors for evaluating activities in surgical operating rooms.
• To enhance surgeons' work capability through analysis of critical operational elements.
• To provide a basis for rational operating room design and improved non-technical skills.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) for identifying and prioritizing key factors.
• Categorized identified factors into three groups: surgical capabilities, operating room characteristics, and non-technical skills.
• Evaluated fifteen key factors influencing surgical operations and team performance.

Main Results:

• Identified fifteen key factors for evaluating surgical operating room activities.
• Within each activity group (capabilities, characteristics, non-technical skills), five factors were pinpointed.
• The most critical factors identified were communication, indoor environment standardization, and tool handle design.

Conclusions:

• Effective surgical team performance relies heavily on non-technical skills like communication.
• Standardizing the indoor environment and optimizing tool handle design are crucial for enhancing OR efficiency.
• Addressing these identified factors can lead to improved surgeon capabilities and safer operating room practices.