Technology advances, labor and supply chain shortages and the continuing migration of surgical procedures to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are increasing pressure on hospitals to make their operating rooms (ORs) even smarter and more efficient.
During an April Becker's Hospital Review webinar sponsored by Cardinal Health, Javad Parvizi, MD, board-certified orthopedic surgeon and director of clinical research at the Philadelphia-based Rothman Orthopedic Institute, and Joel Colyer, global director of portfolio marketing at Cardinal Health, discussed how organizations can respond to the challenges and opportunities related to changing surgical care practices.
Four key insights were:
1. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered lasting impacts to surgical practice and care. One of those changes was the widespread adoption of telehealth, which has had significant implications for surgical care. For example, instead of going to a clinic to have a wound checked, patients can now send clinicians images of their wound or wound dressing.
This trend pairs well with the intensifying migration of surgical procedures toward ASCs, driven largely by convenience (for patients), lower chance of post-surgical complications (for physicians) and lower care costs (for integrated health systems and payers).
2. To accommodate those changes, providers are adapting perioperative protocols. As part of that, they are shifting away from the use of wound dressings made of materials that require in-person follow-up visits and embracing post-operative remote patient monitoring.
However, physicians still need a way to screen patients who are not candidates for same-day surgery at an outpatient setting. Dr. Parvizi said he expects new technologies to play an increasing role in optimizing those screening processes. "The employment of AI to predict which patient [may] run into a problem with venous thromboembolism or need intensive care . . . is already in full effect at many institutions that have high surgical volume."
3. AI can enhance surgical outcomes in the OR, too. For example, AI can be deployed to predict how long a patient is likely to be on the operating table, guide surgeons in minimizing the risk of venous pooling or visualize patients' risk of intraoperative fractures.
Mr. Colyer noted that he looks forward to AI unlocking further capabilities to share surgical insights and best practices remotely, but cautioned of the need to be vigilant in terms of how AI may change the regulatory landscape around data sharing and HIPAA constraints. "We need to move aggressively but also thoughtfully as we look at what AI technology can bring."
4. As technology advances, so does awareness about OR sustainability. To reduce their carbon footprints, ORs are shifting toward reusable surgical instruments and devices, energy-efficient lighting, smart monitoring systems, minimization of instrumentation trays and use of biodegradable materials. "From an educational perspective, Cardinal Health can [help] customers identify and capture all these things and then actually start to measure them to make sure they're making a meaningful impact," Mr. Colyer said.
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