Survey: Hospital Executives Nationwide Facing Operating Room Case Volume Increases, Seeking Greater Efficiency through Healthcare Information Technology (HIT)

ATLANTA, Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Surgical Information Systems ('SIS'), a leader in perioperative information systems, today released results of a nationwide survey of hospital executives who make decisions regarding information systems and other capital equipment in hospitals. The survey, conducted by an independent national polling organization, indicated that operating room (OR) caseloads and costs will continue to rise over the next three years, driven by growth in both inpatient and outpatient procedures. Drivers for implementing perioperative information technology (IT) include facilitating improvements in OR efficiency, the quality of patient care, and the reduction of documentation errors.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080722/SISLOGO )

The survey of 142 hospital decision-makers, including chief executive officers, chief operating officers, chief financial officers, chief information officers, chief nursing officers, chief medical information officers, and other senior executives, found the following:

• Half (49%) report that their OR case volume has increased in the past 12 months, while nearly three-quarters (73%) see their OR case volume increasing over the next three years.
• While 39% see their inpatient OR case volume growing in the next three years, 91% see their outpatient OR case volume growing during that same period.
• At the same time, these hospital decision-makers believe that increasing OR efficiency and throughput (73%), more closely managing overall workflow (57%), cutting spending on supplies (52%), and reducing overtime (35%) are all strategies that can reduce hospital costs. 

Hospital decision-makers agree by a significant majority (79%) that "Information technology solutions are a strategic driver of success in the operating room." An overwhelming 96% agree that IT helps recruit outstanding doctors and nurses (57% say it is very important, while 39% say it is somewhat important).

What capabilities are hospital senior executives looking for in perioperative IT solutions? The top choices were "scheduling:  better/accurate scheduling" (20%), "integration: better integration between systems/departments/integrating the anesthesia module/seamless workflow" (16%) and "information: storage: access/real-time/electronic records" (12%).

The OR is the financial engine of any hospital and if it is not running efficiently, it impacts the entire organization," said John Antes, President, Barnes Jewish Progress West Healthcare Center.  "Investing in perioperative technology that improves efficiencies, supports cost reduction efforts, and promotes patient safety is imperative for the success of the OR and the hospital."

The OR is seen to uniquely benefit from departmental solutions

One of the more interesting findings addressed the question of using enterprise-wide solutions versus implementing departmental systems for scheduling in the OR. 76% agreed with the statement that "Scheduling the OR is inherently different from scheduling other services in the hospital and therefore requires a uniquely tailored process and information technology solution."

How do hospital executives judge a vendor's ability to fit into their organization's IT landscape? The most important elements, survey respondents said were the ability to integrate or interface with existing information systems, the quality and functionality of the product itself, and word-of-mouth, referrals, recommendations, or the reputation of a particular vendor.

"Clearly, hospital executives are looking to perioperative software to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the OR. They see Perioperative IT as having tremendous potential to control costs while delivering efficiencies to help address the demands of rising surgical volumes," according to Ed Daihl, SIS Chief Executive Officer. "An important consideration of perioperative IT success is for these systems to easily integrate with the core electronic health record and hospital information systems," he added.  

About the Survey
SIS commissioned the study in which Penn Shoen Berland conducted online quantitative surveys among 142 healthcare decision makers in the United States.  The margin of error is +/- 6.9%.

About SIS
Surgical Information Systems ("SIS") provides software solutions that are uniquely designed to add value at every point of the perioperative process. Developed specifically for the complex surgical environment, all SIS solutions—including anesthesia—are architected on a single database and integrate easily with other hospital systems. SIS offers the only surgical scheduling system and the only anesthesia information management system endorsed by the American Hospital Association (AHA), and a rules-based charging system that has been granted Peer Reviewed status by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). SIS is also the first AIMS provider to be designated as an AQI Preferred Vendor by the Anesthesia Quality Institute (AQI). For more information, visit our website, www.SISFirst.com.

SOURCE Surgical Information Systems