An interunit performance improvement program: can you get me to the OR on time?

To maximize clinical outcomes of patients served and to efficiently use resources, delays contributing to patients' readiness for surgery and delays in surgery start times were identified as performance improvement measures that were monitored and evaluated. Because delays in patient readiness for surgery impact negatively on operating room use and length of stay, an interdepartmental multi-disciplinary approach was taken to measure performance. Data collection tools were developed to capture unit specific information on patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery. Design of the data collection tools, the data collection process, outcomes, and corrective actions will be discussed in this article.