Operating Room

For a year and a half, the University of Michigan Health System turned one of its head and neck surgery practices into a laboratory. The goal was to see if lean thinking techniques pioneered by the auto industry could be applied to the operating room in ways that simultaneous improved service for patients as well as improve overall efficiency.

There is nothing more challenging to effective cleaning than receiving instruments in the decontamination area that have dried blood on them. Reducing this concern has always been an issue.

"Superbug" bacteria are an ever-increasing threat to public health and are among the most difficult to treat. Many have built up a resistance to at least one type of antibiotic and often have the ability to spread readily throughout the environment. These traits contribute to the increasing number of patients that acquire superbugs. In just one example, a recent study showed the number of people diagnosed with community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) rose from 24 cases per 100,000 people in 2000 to 164 per 100,000 in 2005.