Influence of COVID-19 Protocols on the Efficiency of Trauma Theater: Retrospective Observational Study

Faisal Mohammed; Momin Mohaddis; Manikandar Srinivas Cheruvu; Richard M Morris; Zahra Naim; Sarfraz Khan; Muhammad Babar Mushtaq; Prakash Chandran

doi:10.2196/35805

Influence of COVID-19 Protocols on the Efficiency of Trauma Theater: Retrospective Observational Study

Interact J Med Res. 2022 Jul 12;11(2):e35805. doi: 10.2196/35805.

Authors

Faisal Mohammed¹, Momin Mohaddis¹, Manikandar Srinivas Cheruvu², Richard M Morris³, Zahra Naim⁴, Sarfraz Khan³, Muhammad Babar Mushtaq³, Prakash Chandran¹

Affiliations

¹ Warrington Hospital, Warrington, United Kingdom.
² Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital, Gobowen, United Kingdom.
³ Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital, Bangor, United Kingdom.
⁴ Shadan Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India.

PMID: 35704770
PMCID: PMC9278405
DOI: 10.2196/35805

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced health care delivery significantly. Numerous studies have highlighted that trauma theater efficiency has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, there is limited information as to exactly which stage of the patient theater journey is causing this decreased efficiency and whether efficiency can be improved. In the trauma theater of Warrington Hospital, United Kingdom, we have attempted to maintain trauma theater efficiency despite the requirement for increased infection control.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of additional COVID-19 infection control protocols on trauma theater efficiency in our center, considering the length of time taken for specific theater events, and to find out whether our interventions were successful in maintaining theater efficiency.

Methods: We compared the efficiency of the trauma theater in a busy unit in December 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and December 2020 (with COVID-19 protocols in place). We collected time logs for different theater events for each patient in December of both years and compared the data.

Results: There was no significant difference in the average number of cases performed per session between the COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 time periods (P=.17). Theater start time was significantly earlier during the COVID-19 period (P<.001). There was no significant difference between the two periods in transport time, check-in time, preprocedure time, anesthetic time, and the time between cases (P>.05). A significant difference was observed in the check-out time between the two groups in the two time periods, with checking out taking longer during the COVID-19 period (P<.001).

Conclusions: Our results show that our theater start times were earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the overall theater efficiency was maintained despite the additional COVID-19 infection control protocols that were in place. These findings suggest that well-planned infection control protocols do not need to impede trauma theater efficiency in certain settings.

Keywords: COVID-19; efficiency; health care; health care delivery; infection control; operation theatre; pandemic; trauma management; trauma theater; utilization.

©Faisal Mohammed, Momin Mohaddis, Manikandar Srinivas Cheruvu, Richard M Morris, Zahra Naim, Sarfraz Khan, Muhammad Babar Mushtaq, Prakash Chandran. Originally published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research (https://www.i-jmr.org/), 12.07.2022.