OPERATING THEATRE (OT) SCHEDULING SYSTEM
Air Traffic Control for Your Surgical Wing
The Operating Theatre is the highest-revenue, highest-cost area of any hospital. Every empty minute is lost revenue. Every overrun creates a logjam that delays the next patient, frustrates surgeons, and risks cancellation of scheduled procedures. eHospitalSuite’s OT Scheduling System acts as the air traffic controller — coordinating rooms, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and equipment with precision that prevents collisions and maximizes throughput.
Multi-Resource Scheduling — The "Quad" View
Scheduling a surgery is not just about finding an empty room. Four critical resources must be synchronized simultaneously:
| Resource | The Question | What eHospitalSuite Checks |
| The Room | Is the OT sterile and available? | Real-time room status, cleaning schedule, equipment setup requirements |
| The Surgeon | Is the surgeon available — or still in OPD or another surgery? | Doctor’s master schedule, current OPD queue, prior surgery end time |
| The Anesthesiologist | Is an anesthesia provider assigned and available? | Anesthesia team roster, concurrent assignments, pre-op assessment status |
| The Equipment | Are specialized tools available? | C-arm, laparoscopic tower, microscope — checked against equipment booking calendar |
OT Dashboard & Live Status
Color-Coded Timeline
A visual Gantt chart showing scheduled vs. actual surgery times across all OTs. At a glance, the OT manager sees which rooms are on schedule, which are running over, and which are ready for the next case.
Real-Time Status Updates
The patient’s journey through the surgical wing is tracked in real time as they move through each phase:
- Pre-Op: Patient in holding area, consent verified, anesthesia pre-assessment complete
- In Surgery — Anaesthesia Start: Anesthesia induction time recorded
- In Surgery — Incision: Surgery commenced, “knife-to-skin” timestamp
- Closing: Wound closure in progress
- Post-Op — Recovery (PACU): Patient in Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
- Cleaning — Turnover Time: Housekeeping team preparing the room for the next case
Clinical Safety & Documentation
WHO Surgical Safety Checklist
A mandatory digital pop-up enforces the three phases of the WHO checklist — Sign-in (before anesthesia), Time-out (before incision), and Sign-out (before patient leaves OT) — before the surgery can be marked as "Completed." This is not a paper checkbox filed and forgotten; it is a system-enforced safety gate.
Implant & Consumable Tracking
High-value items — stents, mesh, screws, plates, pacemakers — are barcoded and scanned directly from the OT screen. The charge posts to the patient's bill instantly. Serial numbers and lot numbers are recorded for traceability. No more manual "charge sheets" that get lost between the OT and billing.
Surgery Notes & Post-Op Orders
Specialized templates for Operative Findings (approach, procedure performed, blood loss, specimens sent) and Post-Op Instructions (pain management, mobilization, diet, drain care) — ensuring comprehensive documentation that meets medico-legal standards.
Buffer & Turnover Logic
Turnover Time Management
The system automatically blocks 20-30 minutes between consecutive surgeries in the same room — ensuring adequate time for housekeeping, sterilization, and equipment setup. This buffer is not optional; it is built into the scheduling algorithm. No more scheduling two surgeries back-to-back and hoping the cleaning team works miracles.
PACU (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit) Link
Before a surgery is allowed to start, the system checks whether a recovery bed is available in the PACU. If all recovery beds are occupied, the surgery is held — preventing the dangerous scenario of a patient emerging from anesthesia with nowhere to recover.
Maximize OT Revenue. Minimize Surgical Risk. Eliminate Scheduling Chaos.
Discover how eHospitalSuite’s OT Scheduling System brings precision and safety to your surgical wing.