title: Bringing efficiency into practice: A quality improvement initiative to reduce operating room turnaround time.
abstract: Operating room (OR) turnaround time (TAT) is the minimal essential time required for cleaning of OR and preparation for the next case. The TAT inversely affects OR efficiency. Several factors related to personnel, equipment and scheduling have been identified as causes of increased TAT. We conducted the study to identify factors that affect OR TAT and to propose recommendations for its reduction. The retrospective study, conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, comprised TAT records related to March 2014. Of the 88 cases, 22(25%) showed a delay. Upon Pareto analysis it was found that in 8(36.6%) cases there was a delay of 70% related to scheduling of OR list and 5(22.7%) related to movement of patients from wards to OR. As such, improvement in these two broad areas can take care of majority of delays. We also recommend documentation of all processes as part of continuous improvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Hasanat
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Noman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shehzad
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Joveria
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farooqi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akbar
mesh_terms: D004282:Documentation; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Operating room, Turnaround time, Quality improvement, Shewhart cycle.