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Improving Operating Room Access and Utilization at an Academic Ophthalmology Department
Lyna Azzouz1, Hashem Ghoraba2, Reese D Heidenreich3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
Background And Objective:
A quality improvement project was conducted to improve operating room (OR) access and utilization for elective ophthalmic cases at a university-affiliated eye center.
Patients And Methods:
This prospective, interventional case series assessed OR utilization across three ORs during a baseline 3-month period. Case scheduling protocols were reviewed, and key drivers of inefficiency were identified. Targeted interventions were implemented to address these barriers.
Results:
During the baseline period, a mean of 290 surgeries were performed monthly. Scheduling delays were attributed to the lack of standardized order forms for special preoperative/operative needs, untimely completion of special preoperative tests, poor communication regarding open OR times, and inadequate enforcement of an established 14-day block time release. Following interventions, OR utilization increased by 20% and average monthly case volume rose to 350, adding approximately 60 surgeries per month. These improvements were accompanied by a more than twofold increase in use of the standardized EPIC surgical order with laterality (from 39 to 97 cases per month), demonstrating measurable adoption of workflow changes.
Conclusions:
Targeted, multidisciplinary interventions improved OR utilization by 20%. Quality improvement projects enhance patient access and optimize the use of institutional resources.
