Our white paper, written in collaboration with Dr. Warren Sandberg, describes several methods of increasing the rate of flow of patients through operating rooms. We estimate the potential contribution of each method to reducing Non-Operative Time, and suggest ranges of Non-Operative Time that can be attained by applying combinations of methods. We then discuss how to correctly estimate the number of cases that can be confidently scheduled into the standard day as a function of the Non-Operative Time and present the answers in a graphical format for the special case of identical cases with 60-minute Operative Time.

We then estimate the potential financial impact on a hospital of increasing the load of short cases and speculate on the potential impact of the improved performance on patients and the hospital's staff. We conclude by strongly endorsing the concept of increasing OR Throughput by reducing Non-Operative Time while stressing the importance of a leadership team committed to the program.

View PDF of "How to Increase OR Throughput and Profitability"