Sokolovic E, Szucs T, Biro P, Wyss P; International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care. Meeting.

Annu Meet Int Soc Technol Assess Health Care Int Soc Technol Assess Health Care Meet. 2001; 17: abstract no. 239.

University Hospital Zurich, Department of Medical Economics, Switzerland

Introduction - The following issues were the basis of the study: (1) the operating room programme lasted regularly until late in the afternoon and the attending gynecologists were not able to resume with their work on the ward on time, (2) the turnover time between two operations was too long, and (3) it was not possible to hold on the working time regulations of the physicians.The aim of this study was to investigate whether an increase in anesthesia personnel could raise the overall efficiency of the operating room.Methods - This was a prospective, non-randomized, interrupted time-series analysis in three distinct observational periods: (1) a baseline period over 3.5 months, (2) an 2.5 month intervention phase, in which anesthesia personnel was increased by one attending physician and one nurse during 2.5 months, and (3) a subsequent 2 month period without intervention. Data were collected from operating room staff, anesthesia personnel and surgeons using a structured questionnaire.Results - The following variables were influenced by the intervention and changed significantly: turnover time (corrected for the age, operating time and type of anesthesia) decreased by 13 minutes (95% CI: 9; 17) per operation (p<0.0001). Operating room occupation increased by 59 minutes (95% CI: 50; 68) per day (p<0.005). Thirty additional operations were performed during the intervention period.Discussion - During the intervention period, the efficiency of the operating room increased. Turnover time decreased because anesthesia conducted overlapping inductions and extubations in the preparation room. In this period more operations were performed and the physicians commenced work on the ward later than usual, which resulted in more overtime.Conclusion - The increase in anesthesia staff alone does not result in limiting surgeons' overtime, but it leads to an increase in efficiency and a reduction of turnover time.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Anesthesia
• Efficiency
• Efficiency, Organizational
• Evaluation Studies
• Gynecology
• Longitudinal Studies
• Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital
• Operating Rooms
• manpower
• methods
• surgery
• hsrmtgs

Other ID:

• GWHSR0002892

UI: 102274571

From Meeting Abstracts