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Surgical suite utilization and capacity planning: a minimal cost analysis model
D P Strum1, L G Vargas, J H May
1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arkansas, Little Rock 72205, USA.
Journal of Medical Systems
|March 21, 1998
Summary
This study introduces a new model for operating suite (OR) utilization to reduce costs. By measuring underutilization and overutilization, hospitals can improve surgical scheduling and capacity planning for financial gain.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Operations Research
- Health Economics
Background:
- High costs associated with operating suite (OR) inefficiency.
- Need for improved metrics beyond traditional OR utilization ratios.
- Potential for significant financial savings through optimized resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop a comprehensive model for measuring operating suite utilization.
- Analyze the quality of surgical scheduling processes.
- Improve surgical suite budget allocation and capacity planning.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 58,251 computerized surgical records from a teaching hospital.
- Development of a novel utilization metric accounting for both underutilization and overutilization.
- Evaluation of surgical scheduling quality and budget allocation strategies.
Main Results:
- Identified significant costs linked to both underutilization and overutilization of operating suites.
- Demonstrated the financial benefits of minimizing these inefficiencies.
- Provided a framework for more accurate operating suite capacity planning.
Conclusions:
- The proposed model offers a more complete description of operating suite resource use.
- Addressing underutilization and overutilization presents a key opportunity for cost reduction in surgical services.
- Accurate measurement and management of OR utilization are financially rewarding.