There’s no room for error when a patient’s life is on the line. Surgeons undergo extensive schooling and training to perform perfectly on the operating table. Yet, limited space and inefficient workflows in a traditional operating room can still affect patient safety and the outcome of operations.
Thankfully, with the rapid advancement of medical technology, there is now a safer and more efficient alternative – a smart operating room.
In this article, we’ll look at how a smart operating room works, its difference between traditional ones, and take a closer look at a successful case study in the Middle East.
What is a Smart Operating room?
Imagine a smart operating room, also known as a digital operating room, as a centralized hub that integrates all surgical data. From patient details, software sources, CT or ultrasound images, checklists, timers, and operating room videos, everything is displayed on a single device designed to support digital connections inside and outside the OR.
The most significant difference between a digital operating room and a traditional OR is its ability to offer connectivity beyond the confines of the operating room.
Because traditional ORs are isolated, those outside cannot monitor or support the surgeons inside. Every detail needs to be manually recorded for later review. Because an OR integration system is connected to the outside, remote consultations and learning can be done in real-time. Additionally, the surgical process is recorded and can be used as educational materials or for clinical research.
The Benefits of Digital Operating Room
The use of digital operating rooms has revolutionized surgical procedures and increased the success rates of operations. A smart OR offers three significant improvements that have transformed how surgeries are performed.
1.Integration of major surgical video
For starters, the integration of major surgical videos makes a significant difference. With the integration of CT/MR/C-arm images, time-bars, special notes, and recordable or screenshot functions in a single device, surgeons can access all the data they need in one place.
This streamlines the surgical workflow and reduces the chance of mistakes, as medical professionals can now focus on the surgery instead of wasting energy on finding equipment and information.
2. Strengthen patient safety
It also greatly enhances patient safety. The smart setup provides a step-by-step record of safety checks during the surgical procedure, ensuring nothing is missed. It even keeps track of the number of sterile supplies used and provides reminders for intraoperative antibiotics.
This not only improves the patient’s safety but also reduces the chance of surgical site infections.
3. Support Tele-OR
Digital operating rooms also support Tele-OR, making real-time consultations with other doctors possible.
The surgical team extends outside the OR, as surgeons can access remote assistance without delay. In complicated surgeries or emergencies, this function can save lives. Distance education is also possible with Tele-OR, opening up new avenues for medical professionals to learn and collaborate remotely whether in international conferences or schools.
Case Study in the Middle East: Almoosa Specialist Hospital
The Almoosa Specialist Hospital in Saudi Arabia is a world-leading health facility with more than 3000 caregivers and 380 hospital beds. To provide a world-class OR environment for its patients and staff, the hospital sought a 4K operating room video solution that could give medical professionals easy access to surgical data. The hospital implemented imedtac’s iMOR-SDB as its ideal solution.
“iMOR-SDB will enable us to streamline our OR surgery by providing an intuitive interface to our surgical video data,” says Almoosa’s Medical Director, “with the solution’s live streaming capabilities, remote specialists take part in operations. In addition, the hospital enhances patient care by quickly and easily capturing data during surgery, so the OR crew focuses on the patient and delivers the best possible care.”
The iMOR-SDB integrates video routing and medical information into one device to help hospital staff manage surgical videos and data more efficiently. It is equipped with live streaming, allowing other surgeons, staff, and residency students outside the operating room to access surgical information.
Moreover, iMOR-SDB can also create visual records of each surgery, which can be reviewed and used as learning materials to improve procedures. All recorded data is secured so only authorized staff can access it, per government guidelines.
How to Establish a Smart Operating Room?
As we learned from the article, the current OR integration systems are incredibly sophisticated and seamlessly integrate with equipment and environmental controls to simplify surgical procedures.
However, because of the intelligent technology, implementing a digital operating room comes at a high cost. Due to budget constraints, hospitals are often limited to having only one or two fully equipped rooms.
To make this life-changing technology more accessible to hospitals, imedtac developed iMOR-SDB, an entry-level solution that supports basic video routing, streaming, and data integration at an affordable cost.
While the solution is less comprehensive than a fully equipped digital operating room, it ticks the box for major benefits! Many hospitals worldwide, especially those with emerging smart operating rooms, have upgraded their ORs with imedtac’s iMOR-SDB because of its convenience and cost-effectiveness.
Imedtac’s telehealth solution is also a popular addition to a digital operating room. The telehealth solution makes it easier to have virtual consultations with other specialists by combining patient information, HD video, and vital signs into one platform. Additionally, it is wireless, portable, cloud-secured, and can be integrated with various devices.
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Related article: What is the Difference Between Telemedicine and Telehealth?
