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Monitoring operating room turnaround time: a retrospective analysis

Michele Scagliarini ( University of Bologna Bologna Italy )
Mariarosaria Apreda ( University of Bologna Bologna Italy )
Ulrich Wienand ( Ferrara University Hospital Ferrara Italy )
Giorgia Valpiani ( Ferrara University Hospital Ferrara Italy )

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance

ISSN: 0952-6862

Article publication date: 1 March 2016

557

Abstract

Purpose

Operating room turnaround time is a key process indicator for hospital business management: delays lead to a reduced surgical interventions per day with a consequent increase in costs and decrease in efficiency. This study aims to increase understanding by assessing the process’ steady-state behaviour and identifying changes that indicate either improvement or deterioration in quality.

Design/methodology/approach

With this purpose, we retrospectively applied Shewhart control charts and exponentially weighted moving average control charts to data extracted from an hospital information system.

Findings

The results showed that statistical process control is able to identify steady-state behaviour process and to detect positive or negative changes in process performance. In particular we detected a deterioration in the process performance coinciding with the change in the operanting room patient transfer staff.

Practical implications

This study showed that statistical quality control is a valuable tool for monitoring performance indicators. Currently, hospital managers are designing an operating room dashboard which also includes the control charts.

Originality/value

The article highlights the control chart application to organizational indicators allowing an objective operating room system performance assessment

Citation

Scagliarini, M., Apreda, M., Wienand, U. and Valpiani, G. (2016), "Monitoring operating room turnaround time: a retrospective analysis", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 29 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-08-2015-0105

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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