Improving Operating Room Efficiency in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery: A Scoping Review

Abstract

ObjectiveOne minute of operating room (OR) time costs $36 to 37. However, ORs are notoriously inefficient. There is growing literature on improving OR efficiency, but no formal review of this topic within otolaryngology has been performed. This study reviews and synthesizes the current literature on improving OR efficiency within otolaryngology.Data SourcesMEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, preprints.org, and medRxiv were searched on November 4, 2022.Review MethodsPublished English studies were included if they reported on metrics for improving OR efficiency within otolaryngology. There were no publication date restrictions. Articles were screened by 2 reviewers. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analysis reporting for scoping reviews was followed.ResultsThe search yielded 9316 no‐duplicate articles; 129 articles were included. Most of the studies reported on head and neck procedures (n = 52/129). The main tactics included surgical considerations: hemostatic devices, techniques, and team/simultaneous approaches; anesthetic considerations: local anesthetic and laryngeal mask airways; procedure location considerations: procedures outside of the OR and remote technologies; standardization: equipment, checklists, and personnel; scheduling considerations: use of machine learning for booking, considering patient/surgeon factors, and utilizing dedicated OR time/multidisciplinary teams for on‐call cases.ConclusionThe current literature brings to attention numerous strategies for improving OR efficiency within otolaryngology. Applying these strategies and implementing novel techniques to manage surgical cases may assist in offloading overloaded health care systems and improving access to care while facilitating patient safety and outcomes. Anticipated barriers to implementation include resistance to change, funding, and the current strain on health care systems and providers.