OR Tracking Systems

Traditionally, healthcare professionals have not had access to real-time information regarding a patient’s perioperative whereabouts. As a result, the different units that a patient flows through cannot anticipate when a patient is about to arrive, or when he/she should move to the next one. For example, the anesthesia prep unit may not know when the OR that is scheduled to have the patient is ready, or an ICU doesn’t know when a patient is going to leave the OR. In addition to poor patient flow, this results in underutilization of resources and a loss of revenue.

To track a patient’s location live, electronic status boards can be placed in the units through which surgical patients pass, or where interested parties work, such as the surgeon’s office, the prep area, PACU, ICUs, and wards. The patient’s location and status is entered by healthcare professionals in the different units, usually by pressing one function key. The boards indicate each patient’s location as well as other relevant information such as the surgery, surgeon, and the patient’s biographical data. Color coding is used to indicate a patient’s location and the surgical stage that the patient is in. Flashing is used to indicate delays or complications.

One example of such a system is LiveData’s OR-Dashboard.

Besides displaying patient status and location, it provides reminders and real-time tools to improve quality such as Active Timeout.

LiveData also offers PACU Dashboard for the Post Anesthesia Care Unit and Patient-Aware OR to deliver relevant case information to the entire OR team.