Efficiency and Safety in Operating Rooms: Current Limitations and Future Directions

Abstract

Studies on clinical adverse events in hospitals have identified the Operating Room (OR) as the most probable place for medical error. Therefore, it is highly important to improve efficiency and safety within the OR. We decided to review the current available evidence in the literature on the topic of OR efficiency and safety; we identified the limitations and pitfalls within the OR, searched for the roots for their existence and described future directions and recommendations. In addition, we explored the economic cost implications as they pertain to the OR use under those limitations, all of which synthetically, bring forward the necessity that things need to change within the OR otherwise a healthcare unit's finances will continue to take significant losses. Finally, we briefly describe a future solution for the OR.