Clinical Report: Optimizing Asymmetric Surgical Demand During Peak Seasons

Overview

This study employs discrete-event simulation to evaluate a centralized fast-track operating room strategy at a pediatric medical center in China, addressing the surge in pediatric surgeries during peak seasons.

Background

Pediatric medical centers in China face operational challenges during peak seasons, particularly during summer holidays when there is a surge in short elective surgeries. This study explores a discrete-event simulation model to enhance operating room efficiency and throughput during these critical periods.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• The optimized 15-minute turnover-reduction scenario achieved a mean throughput of 3,588.7 cases.
• This represents a 38.29% increase over the historical baseline of 2,595 cases.
• The 10-minute turnover reduction scenario resulted in a mean throughput of 3,208.3 cases, a 23.63% increase.
• Centralized fast-track OR allocation protected complex surgery throughput while increasing capacity for short procedures.
• Traditional mixed-acuity scheduling led to inefficiencies and idle time.
• Implementation of the proposed model depends on staffing flexibility and local cost considerations.

Clinical Implications

The findings suggest that pediatric surgical centers may benefit from adopting centralized fast-track operating room strategies to manage seasonal surges effectively. By optimizing turnover times and separating short procedures from complex surgeries, facilities can enhance overall surgical throughput while maintaining access to necessary complex care.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates the use of discrete-event simulation in optimizing surgical demand management in pediatric settings during peak seasons.

Related Resources & Content

1. Conexiant, Conexiant, 2023 -- AI Model Optimizes Pediatric Surgical Beds
2. Effects of the COVID-19 Crisis on Pediatric Surgical Procedures in Hospitals of Four Low- and Middle-Income Nations: Findings from an Interrupted Time Series Study, Springer, 2022 -- Effects of the COVID-19 Crisis on Pediatric Surgical Procedures
3. Guidelines for Surgical Procedures and Patient Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Springer, 2020 -- Guidelines for Surgical Procedures and Patient Care
4. University of Birmingham, University of Birmingham, 2026 -- England's Elective Surgical Hubs managing one in seven procedures
5. The Royal College of Anaesthetists, The Royal College of Anaesthetists, 2025 -- Guidelines for the Provision of Anaesthesia Services for Day Surgery
6. Optimizing Robotic Fleet Size and Composition to Balance Cost and Performance in Operating Room Mobile Service Robots
7. England's Elective Surgical Hubs managing one in seven procedures - University of Birmingham
8. Chapter 6: Guidelines for the Provision of Anaesthesia Services for Day Surgery 2025 | The Royal College of Anaesthetists
9. Integration of decision levels in operating room scheduling problems: Systematic review and proposition of a decision support framework - ScienceDirect