OR Standardizing in an Active Surgical Platform

The Problem

The client was hemorrhaging surgical cases in the existing 13 OR platform.  The existing conditions of each OR were not equal, creating a differential in utilization capacity of each OR. Catalyst’s planning team was challenged to create capacity without adding operating rooms to the facility.

The Approach

Catalyst analyzed the current utilization of the ORs to determine where opportunities could be gained through improved room orientation, size and configuration. Working with both physicians and surgical staff, and utilizing real time modelling, iterative hand sketching and operational mapping, Catalyst developed the ideal configuration for the client’s operating Room. Each OR was compared to this ideal state to determine needs and ability to convert to a standard configuration.

The Solution

Through minimal renovation to expand and/or reorient the operating rooms, the client’s surgical platform increased flexibility by outfitting each operating room the same. Standardization enabled an increase in surgical capacity through the increase in utilization of each OR; therefore, preventing the need to construct any additional operating rooms.