title: Improving operating room efficiency via an interprofessional approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Third-party payer reimbursements will likely continue to decrease. Therefore, it is imperative for operating rooms (ORs), often a hospital's largest revenue source, to improve efficiency. We report the outcome after 3 years of a lean, Six Sigma program to improve OR utilization.
  
  
  METHODS
  In January 2011, our hospital system instituted a facility-wide approach to address the problem of OR efficiency. Interprofessional teams were formed to examine all aspects of OR use. An OR Governance Committee consisting of Department Chairs, nursing and senior administration oversaw the project.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outpatients' readiness on time for surgery increased from 59% to 95%, while first case on-time starts improved from 32% to 73%. Block utilization went from 68% to 74% and actual room utilization improved from 56% to 68%. The number of cases increased by 9%. Overtime went from 7% of total to 4%, so personnel costs decreased 14% despite 26% more employees. There was a reduction in annual voluntary OR staff turnover from 28% to 11%. Revenues increased more than 10% annually.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A concerted effort to optimize OR performance resulted in marked improvements in access, overall case efficiency, staff satisfaction, and financial performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK, USA. Electronic address: jeffrey-bender@ouhsc.edu.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: Teodora O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Nicolescu
authors.affiliation: OU Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hollingsworth
authors.affiliation: OU Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: Krystal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murer
authors.affiliation: OU Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Ertl
mesh_terms: D004526:Efficiency; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Efficiency; Interprofessional; Operating room; Performance; Six Sigma; Utilization