Introducing new technology into the operating room: measuring the impact on job performance and satisfaction.
BACKGROUND
The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Operating Room of the Future (ORF) project is a test site for evaluating new surgical technologies and processes. Here we evaluate the effect on staff satisfaction and burnout of introducing a set of new technologies.


METHODS
Staff satisfaction and burnout were measured via sequential surveys based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory during the introduction of a new technology system. Functional behavior of the OR was measured in terms of flow time (time to transit the OR) and wait time (time to access the OR). These data were gathered using time-motion analysis methods.


RESULTS
Significant functional improvements were found in the ORF (more than 35% reduction in flow time and wait time, P < .05). During the same period, more exposure to the ORF resulted in greater sense of personal accomplishment among surgeons, a worse sense of personal accomplishment among nurses, more emotional exhaustion among surgeons, and less emotional exhaustion among nurses. However, the responses for emotional exhaustion were reversed the greater the time from exposure to the ORF. Staff with 6 to 10 years' experience were at highest risk for burnout across all categories. General surgeons experienced more emotional exhaustion than other physicians.


CONCLUSIONS
Tracking the response of all users and identifying groups at high risk for burnout when exposed to new systems should be a central part of any new technology project.
Stahl
James E
JE
Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, MGH Institute of Technology Assessment, Boston 02114, USA. James@mgh-ita.org
Egan
Marie T
MT
Goldman
Julian M
JM
Tenney
Dawn
D
Wiklund
Richard A
RA
Sandberg
Warren S
WS
Gazelle
Scott
S
Rattner
David W
DW
D002055:Burnout, Professional; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013523:Surgical Equipment; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D016526:Workload