Fewer intensive care unit refusals and a higher capacity utilization by using a cyclic surgical case schedule

Van Houdenhoven, Mark; van Oostrum, Jeroen M.; Wullink, Gerhard; Hans, Erwin; Hurink, Johann L.; Bakker, Jan; Kazemier, Geert

doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2007.07.002

« Previous Next »Journal of Critical Care
Volume 23, Issue 2 , Pages 222-226, June 2008

Fewer intensive care unit refusals and a higher capacity utilization by using a cyclic surgical case schedule

Mark Van Houdenhoven, MSc
- Department of Operating Rooms, Erasmus University Medical Center, The Netherlands
- Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Jeroen M. van Oostrum, MSc
- Department of Operating Rooms, Erasmus University Medical Center, The Netherlands
- Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Corresponding author. Department of Operating Rooms, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Fax: +31 10 463 4035.
Gerhard Wullink, PhD
- Department of Operating Rooms, Erasmus University Medical Center, The Netherlands
- Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Erwin Hans, PhD
- Department of Operational Methods for Production and Logistics, School of Management and Governance, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
Johann L. Hurink, PhD
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
Jan Bakker, MD, PhD
- Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Geert Kazemier, MD, PhD
- Department of Operating Rooms, Erasmus University Medical Center, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

published online 06 December 2007.

Abstract

Purpose

Mounting health care costs force hospital managers to maximize utilization of scarce resources and simultaneously improve access to hospital services. This article assesses the benefits of a cyclic case scheduling approach that exploits a master surgical schedule (MSS). An MSS maximizes operating room (OR) capacity and simultaneously levels the outflow of patients toward the intensive care unit (ICU) to reduce surgery cancellation.

Materials and Methods

Relevant data for Erasmus MC have been electronically collected since 1994. These data are used to construct an MSS that consisted of a set of surgical case types scheduled for a period or cycle. This cycle was executed repetitively. During such a cycle, surgical cases for each surgical department were scheduled on a specific day and OR. The experiments were performed for the Erasmus University Medical Center and for a virtual hospital.

Results

Unused OR capacity can be reduced by up to 6.3% for a cycle length of 4 weeks, with simultaneous optimal leveling of the ICU workload.

Conclusions

Our findings show that the proposed cyclic OR planning policy may benefit OR utilization and reduce surgical case cancellation and peak demands on the ICU.

Keywords: Intensive care unit, Master surgical schedule, Surgical case, Health care efficiency