We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
RANDOX LABORATORIES

Download Mobile App




Better-Designed Operating Room Shortens Surgical Procedure Time and Produces Better Outcomes

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 19 Sep 2024
Print article
Image: The operating room design can make orthopedic surgeries shorter, safer, and more efficient (Photo courtesy of 123RF)
Image: The operating room design can make orthopedic surgeries shorter, safer, and more efficient (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Long surgery durations can lead to delays, cancellations, poor patient experiences, postoperative complications, and a waste of healthcare resources. A new study has revealed that a better-designed operating room (OR) can reduce surgery time, leading to improved outcomes and reduced costs. The researchers believe these findings can be used to optimize OR spaces, ultimately improving patient outcomes through shorter surgeries while also enhancing hospital efficiency.

Researchers at the University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS, USA) conducted the first-ever study to directly link OR design with the duration of knee- and hip-replacement surgeries. In this study, 70 knee- and hip-replacement surgeries were observed in real-time, with the same surgical teams performing the procedures in two differently sized and arranged ORs at a hospital. The larger, better-designed OR had significantly shorter average surgery times and fewer disruptive interactions, such as collisions between personnel and equipment, which can slow down procedures.

According to the study, shaving five to six minutes off an 80- to 100-minute surgery, as was observed in the better-designed OR, could translate to savings of up to two hours of staffing time per day. These savings are valuable to healthcare organizations, particularly those facing high labor costs. In addition to financial savings, shorter surgeries offer benefits to patients, such as improved infection prevention, reduced waiting times, and faster recovery. The researchers also believe that continued optimization of OR design could yield even greater benefits.

While previous studies have examined how space design impacts surgical disruptions, they did not account for factors such as surgery type or the speed of individual surgeons. This study is the first to demonstrate that environmental design can actually reduce the duration of a surgical procedure. The research team now plans to explore further improvements in OR design to enhance surgical efficiency and reduce operating times even more. The findings were published in Health Environments Research & Design.

“The breakthrough for my study is that it is the first to link the built environment of ORs to surgery duration,” said Xiaobo Quan, associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design, who led the study. “Naturally, if we experience more disruptions to our surgery process, we will have a longer surgery. But there are no previous research studies looking at that. My study was the first one to make the connection directly.”

New
Gold Member
X-Ray QA Meter
T3 AD Pro
Flocked Fiber Swabs
Puritan® patented HydraFlock®
New
AI-Enabled EEG Analysis Software
autoSCORE
New
Plasma Thawing System
QuickThaw DH8

Print article
Radcal

Channels

Critical Care

view channel
Image: The Biointegrated Implantable Systems for Cell-based Sensing and Therapy technology can be used to treat various diseases (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Implantable Cell-Based Bioelectronic Devices to Enable Patient-Specific Treatment and Disease Monitoring

Researchers are advancing the development of implantable, cell-based bioelectronic devices designed to provide personalized therapy and monitor disease conditions such as hypo- and hyperthyroidism in real-time.... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The portable, handheld BeamClean technology inactivates pathogens on commonly touched surfaces in seconds (Photo courtesy of Freestyle Partners)

First-Of-Its-Kind Portable Germicidal Light Technology Disinfects High-Touch Clinical Surfaces in Seconds

Reducing healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) remains a pressing issue within global healthcare systems. In the United States alone, 1.7 million patients contract HAIs annually, leading to approximately... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
The Atellica VTLi Patient-side Immunoassay Analyzer, a high-sensitivity troponin I test at the bedside, delivers accurate results in just 8 minutes (Photo courtesy of Siemens Healthineers)

New 8-Minute Blood Test to Diagnose or Rule Out Heart Attack Shortens ED Stay

Emergency department overcrowding is a significant global issue that leads to increased mortality and morbidity, with chest pain being one of the most common reasons for hospital admissions.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.