Elizabeth van Veen-Berkx1, Sylvia G Elkhuizen2, Cor J Kalkman3, Wolfgang F Buhre4, Geert Kazemier5. 1. PhD Fellow Dutch OR Benchmarking Collaboration, Department of Operating Rooms, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Room number: Hs-324, 's-Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: lizetteberkx@gmail.com. 2. Institute for Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 3. Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands. 4. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht, The Netherlands. 5. Department of Surgery, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Room number: ZH7F011, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: First-case tardiness is still a common source of frustration. In this study, a nationwide operating room (OR) Benchmark database was used to assess the effectiveness of interventions implemented to reduce tardiness and calculate its economic impact. METHODS: Data from 8 University Medical Centers over 7 years were included: 190,295 elective inpatient first cases. Data were analyzed with SPSS statistics and multidisciplinary focus-group study meetings. Analysis of variance with contrast analysis measured the influence of interventions. RESULTS: Seven thousand ninety-four hours were lost annually to first-case tardiness, which has a considerable economic impact. Four University Medical Centers implemented interventions and effectuated a significant reduction in tardiness, eg providing feedbacks directly when ORs started too late, new agreements between OR and intensive care unit departments concerning "intensive care unit bed release" policy, and a shift in responsibilities regarding transport of patients to the OR. CONCLUSIONS: Nationwide benchmarking can be applied to identify and measure the effectiveness of interventions to reduce first-case tardiness in a university hospital OR environment. The implemented interventions in 4 centers were successful in significantly reducing first-case tardiness.
BACKGROUND: First-case tardiness is still a common source of frustration. In this study, a nationwide operating room (OR) Benchmark database was used to assess the effectiveness of interventions implemented to reduce tardiness and calculate its economic impact. METHODS: Data from 8 University Medical Centers over 7 years were included: 190,295 elective inpatient first cases. Data were analyzed with SPSS statistics and multidisciplinary focus-group study meetings. Analysis of variance with contrast analysis measured the influence of interventions. RESULTS: Seven thousand ninety-four hours were lost annually to first-case tardiness, which has a considerable economic impact. Four University Medical Centers implemented interventions and effectuated a significant reduction in tardiness, eg providing feedbacks directly when ORs started too late, new agreements between OR and intensive care unit departments concerning "intensive care unit bed release" policy, and a shift in responsibilities regarding transport of patients to the OR. CONCLUSIONS: Nationwide benchmarking can be applied to identify and measure the effectiveness of interventions to reduce first-case tardiness in a university hospital OR environment. The implemented interventions in 4 centers were successful in significantly reducing first-case tardiness.
Authors: Elizabeth van Veen-Berkx; J Bitter; S G Elkhuizen; W F Buhre; C J Kalkman; H G Gooszen; G Kazemier Journal: J Med Syst Date: 2014-05-13 Impact factor: 4.460