A multidisciplinary process to improve the efficiency of cardiac operating rooms.
OBJECTIVE
To alter the approach to cardiac operating room services in an attempt to remain competitive in a cost-driven market.


METHODS
Study of processes and strategies for tracking and decreasing the times required for the multiple components of the operating room period.


METHODS
Cardiac operating rooms in a tertiary care, university-affiliated hospital.


METHODS
All patients undergoing primary coronary artery bypass grafting during December 1996 (baseline) and the following year (1997).


METHODS
After participation in cost-containment meetings, site visits, and development of a working group, data collection was begun detailing the times of the various components of the operating room period. Changes of process were made to reduce operating room times. Most of these changes involved multitasking care: multiple people performing various tasks at the same time. All measured operating room intervals were decreased. There was no difference in morbidity and mortality over this time period.


CONCLUSIONS
Development of a working group, with support from the hospital administration, can significantly decrease the time of tasks in a cardiac surgery operating room without adversely affecting morbidity and mortality.
Krasner
H
H
Department of Anesthesiology, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA 01199, USA.
Connelly
N R
NR
Flack
J
J
Weintraub
A
A
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality; D003363:Cost Control; D004526:Efficiency; D006801:Humans; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D013997:Time Factors