First Article

Everyone should have received the first research article we will be reading in their email this week.

Due to publishing privacy, we will not be posting the full journal articles on the Blog since this is a public forum.

Please take time to read, takes notes and discuss the article on this Blog. I will also be monitoring the Blog so if you have anything you would like me to share, post it here or email it to me at Sharon.Konowitz@unchealth.unc.com


Here is some information about the first article:

 

Title:

 

Lean Methods to Improve Operating Room Elective First Case On-Time Starts in a Large, Urban, Safety Net Medical Center

 

Date:

 

May, 2018

 

Authors:

 

Charles Coffey Jr., Edward S. Cho, Eric Wei, Allison Luu, Maria Ho,

Rodolfo Amaya, Marie Pecson,  Florence V. Dalton,  Deborah Kahaku,

Brad Spellberg, Stephen F. Sener


Abstract:

Background: Delays in first cases contribute to multiple operating room (OR) inefficiencies and decreases in OR productivity.

Methods: Lean process improvement methods were used to redesign the existing workflow for elective first cases of the day in a large, urban, public hospital. First case start times were prospectively recorded from May 2, 2016 through December 29, 2017.

Results: Data from 415 operating days were examined, 86 days prior to, 35 days during, and 294 days after implementation of interventions in the pre-operative holding area. During this time, of 23,891 operations performed, 14,981 were elective procedures, 5963 (39.8%) of which were first cases of the day. The mean rate of elective first case on-time starts per week went from 23.5% before and during to 73.0% after implementation of lean interventions (p < 0.0000001).

Conclusions: Implementation of lean interventions in the pre-operative holding area was associated with significantly improved rates of elective first case on-time starts.