title: An analysis of time utilization and cancellations of scheduled cases in the main operation theater complex of a tertiary care teaching institute of North India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Operation theater (OT) utilization.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the time utilization and to assess the stated causes of cancellations of scheduled cases in the OT complex of a tertiary care teaching institute.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study was carried out from December 2010 to April 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  each of the 16 OT tables was observed for 6 days (total 96 days). The available resource hours were taken as 0800-1600 hrs. (480 min/day; 46,080 min in 96 days). The following parameters were recorded--time spent on supportive services, time spent on actual surgery, room turn over time, time spent for total procedure and time between entry and exit of patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total 325 scheduled cases, 252 were operated and 73 (22.5%) were cancelled. There were delays on 15 days (15.63%) in starting the OT table at the scheduled time. Of the total resource hours (46,080 min), the mean "Raw utilization" was 37,573 min (81.54%) and the "Adjusted utilization" was 39,668 min (86.09%). The mean time spent on "supportive services" was 5539 min (12.02%) and on "actual surgery"' was 28,277 min (61.37%), and the "room turn over time" was 2095 min (5.39%). Among the stated reasons for cancellations, lack of operating time--57 cases (78.1%)--was the most common.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study of time utilization and cancellation are important tools in assessing the optimal utilization of available resource hours in an OT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital Administration, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talati
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jain
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013997:Time Factors; D057188:Workflow; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload / Q000592:standards*