The Lean OR

Healthcare has historically lagged behind most industries in applying lean six sigma principles for optimizing efficiency.  There are many complexities in the healthcare system and delivery of surgical care, but we are now at a point technologically where actionable data are being collected that can be applied to lean initiatives.

Efforts focused on the lean six sigma approach have demonstrated impressive findings. In a study published several years ago, the University of Oklahoma Department of Surgery reported the following after a 3-year lean, Six Sigma program to improve OR utilization:

-          Readiness for on-time outpatient surgery increased to 95% (from 59%)

-          First case on-time starts rose to 73% (from 32%)

-          Case volume increased by 9%

-          Personnel costs decreased 14%, despite increase of 26% in number of employees

-          Reduction in annual voluntary OR staff turnover from 28% to 11%

-          Revenues increased more than 10% annually

With the knowledge that those results are possible, implementing a software solution that collects accurate, meaningful data that are available real-time for performance improvement could yield powerful outcomes for both healthcare systems and patients.

Source:

Bender JS, Nicolescu TO, Hollingsworth SB, Murer K, Wallace KR, Ertl WJ. Improving operating room efficiency via an interprofessional approach. Am J Surg. 2015 Mar;209(3):447-50.