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The Future Operating Theatre – a chronological assessment overview and evaluation report

The test cycle of the Future Operating Theatre, a collaboration with the Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark on testing the new Operating Theatres in the New Odense University Hospital, is successfully completed after years of continuous dedicated efforts. The results have been evaluated.

Clinicians are testing the new equipment in the Future Operating Theatre

User testing the Future Operating Theatre

Healthcare professionals from Odense University Hospital are user testing a 1:1 mock-up of the hybrid theatre

Healthcare professionals from Odense University Hospital are user testing a 1:1 mock-up of the hybrid theatre

Prototype of the MR scanner with a doll inside it

Prototype of the MR scanner

Three men are testing the prototype of the ceiling-mounted microscope

Prototype of the ceiling-mounted microscope

Three lights

Instalment of the lights in the new operating theatres

Background

In 2015, while the construction of the new Odense University Hospital (OUH) was on its way, OUH wanted to test the new format of the operating theatres before they were implemented. This launched a collaboration with the Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark (SDSI). The test cycle was successful and unlike anything that has previously been done in terms of scale, efforts made by the different fields of expertise, and the securement of valuable, detailed documentation.

Standardisation and flexibility

The concept behind the future operating theatres differentiates from those in the current OUH in many ways such as standardising important elements of the theatre to fit all of the different surgical specialities. This makes the theatres more approachable and easier to operate for the departments of the new OUH.

The results from the test cycle were continuously handed over to the project organisation in charge of the New OUH. The results were presented in an evaluation report in Danish. A smaller report summarizing the results have been translated to English. The reports focus on conclusions, recommendations, areas to focus on, etc. By assessment of economy, effect and value these will be incorporated into the construction of the new operating theatres. The construction of the new OUH is expected to finish in 2024.

Below is a chronological overview of the test cycle for the Future Operating Theatre from its beginning in 2015 to handing over the final evaluation report in 2019. Even after 2019, the Future Operating Theatre still provides valuable insight into how standardised and flexible operating theatres can improve the work of clinicians and healthcare professionals.

Chronological overview of pilot testing the Future Operating Theatre

Mock-up testing of the operating theatre (2015)

Through different user involvement processes in 2015-2016, where the demands of the future operating theatres were determined, a number of medical and technological professionals were able to voice their opinions and wishes for the new theatres. This included clinicians from the surgical departments, the organisation in charge of hygiene, medical engineers from OUH, plus consulting architects and engineers, employees from Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark (SDSI), and the project organisation New OUH.

SDSI was in charge of planning and facilitating mock-up testing.

A 1:1 copy of the Future Operating Theatre is constructed (2016)

In 2016, the board of managers at OUH decided to conduct a pilot test of the concept behind the future operating theatres by constructing a 1:1 copy of the medium sized operating theatres. These will make up 38 out of the 52 total operating theatres in the new OUH.

The purpose was to qualify and test technological solutions, flexibility, functionality and design.

The division of building operations and service at OUH were in charge of the construction.

The test period starts (2018)

The test period ran from September 2018 – marts 2019. It began with simulations to test e.g. space capacity in relation to the anaesthesia team, mounting of beams supplying the theatre with oxygen and other gasses, ventilation equipment for measuring the cleanliness of the air, etc.

SDSI was in charge of planning the test course and including the departments and managers, determining the parameters for the final evaluation and summarizing the results in close collaboration with the different departments and the project organisation for the new OUH.

Actual clinical testing (2019)

Spanning over a period of six months, from March to October 2019, all of the different surgical specialities tested the Future Operating Theatre in real life surgery. This included robotic surgery as well.

Evaluation report and focus areas (2019)

By fall 2019, the final evaluation report was completed in close collaboration with the medical and technological professionals from OUH, plus a number of external experts in relation to e.g. knowledge sharing on evaluation design.

Furthermore, a list of areas to focus on was made, where recommendations, conclusion and focus areas, etc., were derived from the original evaluation report. This was done to ensure that the experiences and results of this project would be considered and possibly implemented by those in charge.

The list of focus areas and the subsequent “follow ups” were implemented in the group for strategic coordination at New OUH.

Status 2022

The operating theatre that was used for testing transferred to clinical operations once the pilot testing had finished (spring 2020). It now functions as a theatre for robotic surgery while simultaneously still acting as a theatre for testing e.g. new technologies.

The elements in the list of focus areas that are considered to offer most value are continuously incorporated into the construction of the future operating theatres in the new OUH.

By request, in fall 2022 the summary of the evaluation report was translated to English and shared with HealthCare DENMARK and the Danish Embassy in France.

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