Improving efficiency in a total hip arthroplasty program

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Process Improvement
• Quality Improvement Methodologies

Background:

• Operating room efficiency is critical for surgical programs.
• Morning total hip arthroplasty programs face unique challenges.
• Lean Six Sigma (LSS) offers a framework for process optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply Lean Six Sigma methodology to enhance efficiency in a morning total hip arthroplasty program.
• To analyze the challenges encountered in improving operating room efficiency.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental, pre-post intervention study was conducted.
• Multidisciplinary meetings and retrospective analysis identified improvement areas.
• Implemented strategies included case selection, early surgery starts, and optimized changeover times.

Main Results:

• Feasibility of three procedures per morning confirmed; 72% of surgeries under 90 min.
• Achieved 67% of the target improvement despite resource limitations.
• Improved first surgery start time, increased procedures per module, and reduced changeover times.

Conclusions:

• Lean Six Sigma improved operating room efficiency for hip arthroplasty by 50%.
• Identifying and addressing process bottlenecks is crucial for successful implementation.
• Further research is needed to address post-surgery challenges and ensure continuous optimization.