Improving Operating Room Efficiency Through Reducing First Start Delays in an Academic Center.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Process Improvement
• Surgical Operations

Background:

• Delays in operating room (OR) first-case start times incur significant costs, cause staff frustration, and impede patient care.
• Addressing these delays is crucial for optimizing hospital efficiency and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel process improvement strategy aimed at enhancing first-case start times in the operating room.
• To quantify the impact of implemented interventions on on-time starts and associated cost savings.

Main Methods:

• The study recorded first-case in-room start times at an academic medical center.
• Three interventions were implemented: automatic preoperative orders, dot phrases for consent forms, and improved H&P linking.
• Monthly percentages of first-case on-time starts (FCOTS) and time saved were compared pre- and post-intervention, with cost savings estimated.

Main Results:

• The percentage of FCOTS improved from an average of 36.7% to 52.7% within the first three months post-intervention.
• A total of 55.63 hours were saved across all ORs during this period.
• Estimated cost savings amounted to $121,834.52 over the three-month intervention period.

Conclusions:

• Implementing multiple quality improvement interventions effectively reduces delays in OR first-case start times.
• Targeted quality improvement protocols addressing the root causes of OR delays can significantly reduce healthcare costs.