Anesthésie et recherche clinique
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A Theatre Time Utilization Survey in a University Teaching Hospital from a Developing Country

Kehinde S. Oluwadiya, Babatunde B. Osinaike, Amogu K. Eziyi, Emmanuel O. Oyebamiji and Israel K. Kolawole

Background: Previous studies from the West African sub-region have shown a high cancellation rate of scheduled elective surgeries, but no studies from the same region had looked at the efficiency of theatre time utilisation. Our objective was to identify areas of, and causes of theatre time delay, and suggests solutions based on the identified deficiencies. Methods: Data on all patients undergoing elective surgeries were prospectively collected using a proforma to determine the duration of each step of patients’ surgery starting from when patients were sent for, and ending with when patients left the operating room. The causes for delays were determined. Results: 279 elective cases were analysed. None of the first-on-the-list cases started as scheduled. The most common cause of delay was delayed transfer of patients from the wards to the theatre, and this occurred in 104 (33.4%) cases. The time spent in transferring patients from the ward ranged between 18% and 54 % of the total time spent from ward to the end of surgery. Most delays were due to poor coordination of patients’ movement between the wards and the theatre as well as long distances between the wards and the theatre. Conclusion: Available theatre time is poorly utilized. To improve the overall efficiency of the theatre, qualitative improvement strategies should be instituted.