Metrics
On Time Starts
Research shows that 11% of the Late Starts in Hospital Operating Rooms, are the result of the category called, “Equipment Not Ready”. This is typically the result of Medical Device Trays not present or nor correctly opened and presented for Surgical Cases. This category also includes a delay caused by the Medical Device Rep (MDR) not being present in the OR, when required, On Time. Delays include normal factors such as Weather, Traffic, great distances between Surgical Locations, availability of qualified MDR in the area and delays from prior cases, that cascade to downstream cases.
Hospitals have documented that Late Starts for the first Surgery of the day (morning) cascade into Late Starts for all subsequent surgeries to follow for the rest of the day. This leads to late nights for Patient surgeries, long hours for medical staff, and fatigue for patients (and their families) that are prepped for surgeries.
Turnover Time
TOT is the time it takes to Turn over an Operating Room from one surgery to the next. Research data shows a range of 15 to 45 minutes for this event, with an average TOT of 28.5 minutes.
The Remote MDR will not influence the Scrubbing of surgical surfaces or the Disposal of Soiled items from Surgery.
However, the RMDR does remain engaged with the Circulating Nurse, in the OR, after the patient has been removed to provide:
(a) Prepared documentation for Implants used during surgery,
(b) Proper repacking of Medical Devices into the complex Device Trays
(c) Updating hospital inventory of Medical Device trays and their content
The RMDR is also there (virtually) to get a head start for the next surgery, to ensure that the proper trays have been marshalled in the Hallway, sanitized and ready for the next case. The RMDR is also virtually there to ensure that the medical equipment needed for the next case is available, such as Fluoroscopes – X-Rays, Mini-C Arms, etc.
MERGE Solutions has documented a 20% reduction in TOT (Turn Over Time), with the involvement of the MDR remaining engaged after surgery and again before surgery.
MERGE’s unique Solution of Documentation provides digital accounting of Implants and Medical Device inventory. Each OR increases accuracy, reduces manual hand writing of Implants and procedures used, and provides a Check & Balance on case information / history.
OR Cancellations
OR Cases are canceled for various reasons. Some of the cancellations can be averted, with MERGE’s implementation:
(a) Case will not be canceled, due to MDR not present, nor equipment not present
(b) Case will not be canceled, because late starts or TOT have delayed the end-of-day surgeries so drastically, that the day has run out of available resources.