Integrating Patient-Centered Perioperative Care Continuum Digital Closed-Loop Management With Overall Every Control...

Perioperative care is inherently complex, requiring seamless coordination among multidisciplinary teams. Traditional, fragmented workflows often lead to delays, inefficiencies, and increased risk, compromising both patient safety and operational performance.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a patient-centered, digitally enabled closed-loop perioperative management system, implemented within the overall every control (OEC) framework, on operating room efficiency.

We developed and implemented a patient-centered perioperative care continuum digital closed-loop system that integrated real-time data from the surgical anesthesia system to orchestrate a standardized workflow across the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative continuum. The study employed a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data on the on-time start rate of the first surgery, turnover time, and operating room utilization were collected from the preintervention baseline period (2022, n = 18,076 cases) through the postintervention period (2023-2024, n = 54,684 cases). Qualitative data from semistructured interviews with surgeons, nurses, and patients provided insights into the user experience.

Quantitative data revealed a significant and sustained improvement, with the on-time start rate increasing from 74.6% to 89.5% (p < 0.001), and operating room utilization also rose significantly (p < 0.001), despite a 51% rise in surgical volume and a higher-acuity patient caseload. Importantly, no system-related adverse events were detected throughout the study period. Qualitatively, healthcare providers reported better teamwork, reduced cognitive load, and greater professional fulfillment, while patients experienced substantially shorter waiting times and less preoperative anxiety. The mixed-methods approach suggested that these efficiency improvements were not only procedural but also associated with a fundamental enhancement of the work environment and care experience.

The OEC-guided closed-loop management system was associated with enhanced perioperative efficiency and sustained patient safety under conditions of increased demand. This model demonstrates that integrating real-time digital feedback with a standardized management framework may create a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement, yielding favorable outcomes for both healthcare providers and patients.

Nursing leadership is pivotal in implementing digital closed-loop perioperative systems, which may enhance efficiency and patient safety by streamlining workflows, reducing cognitive load, and improving staff well-being, thereby demonstrating the potential of digitally augmented, nurse-led management models.