A digital platform is aiming to streamline operating room (OR) workflow to prevent disruptions during surgery-- something that happens four times per case on average and surgeons say is the number one problem they face.
It's called ExplORer. The iPad-based digital platform developed by surgeons and business students at the University of Chicago acts like a "surgical playbook" that lays out step by step instructions and necessary tools for a procedure. This provides easier onboarding and smoother transitions between surgical teams. Though the service initially acts as a time saving and cost cutting measure for hospitals, in the long term ExplORer could provide data insights that may make surgeries more efficient.
Right now, preparing for surgeries is handled differently at every hospital. In some cases, nurses constantly update Excel spreadsheets. Other times teams have to consult pages and pages of single space text documents. Without a centralized resource to consult, it can be tough prevent disruptions to the flow of surgery.
"It was shocking to me to observe surgery and see this happen again and again," said Jennifer Fried, COO of ExplORer. "Healthcare is really one of the last industries to be revolutionized. We're really not living in the 21st century."
ExplORer wants to change that. The platform has a database of procedures that lays out step by step instructions for preparing and assisting surgery. There's a checklist of tools, a chronology of the procedure, and even directions that specify where equipment should be placed (example: "Laparoscopic tower positioned appropriately on patient right"). Though there will be standardized procedures, surgeons can customize an operation for specific patient needs.
Though now these functions are mostly aimed at saving hospitals time and money by limiting disruptions, digitizing the surgical workflow could provide valuable insights into procedures in the future. "What happens during surgery has been a bit of a black box in terms of data," said Fried, but by analyzing feedback through the platform, surgeons could understand precisely where improvements could be made.
The tech was conceived by Alexander Langerman, and Marko Rojnica, both surgeons and researchers at UChicago Medicine.
ExplORer has been in beta testing at University of Chicago's hospital since February. Already the team has raised over $350,000 to develop ExplORer further, including a $225,000 grant from the National Science Foundation and $50,000 at UChicago's New Venture Challenge last month. Their win at NVC also landed them in Pritzker Group's fellowship program, which puts them in the running for extra funding.
This summer they are set to launch pilots at North Shore Hospital and Geisinger Health System on the east coast.
