Theatre efficiency
not just as a short-term recovery target, but as a long-term strategic priority. While much of the focus on theatre efficiency
has traditionally centred on major operating theatres, Elective Surgery Hubs and Community Diagnostic Centres are increasingly important to the elective recovery effort. These areas face similar challenges: siloed systems, inconsistent communication with decontamination services, and limited visibility into resource availability. Digital integration here is equally
transformative. Endoscopy units, for example, can benefit from the same instrument tracking and scheduling integration used in main theatres, reducing delays between procedures and enabling more efficient reprocessing of scopes. As many Trusts seek to shift more activity into day surgery and outpatient settings, the need for coordinated, transparent workflows across the entire perioperative pathway becomes even more pressing.
The foundation for proactive theatre management To overcome these systemic inefficiencies, healthcare providers must adopt digital tools that enable real-time visibility across theatre, endoscopy, and sterile services. By implementing a specialised platform that connects clinical scheduling, inventory tracking, and sterilisation workflows, hospitals can shift from reactive to proactive operations. For example, modern theatre management
systems can interface directly with instrument tracking software used by sterile services. This allows theatre teams to see — at a glance — the status and location of required trays, whether items are undergoing decontamination, are in
transit, or are ready for use. In parallel, sterile services teams gain advance notice of surgical lists and can prioritise tray reprocessing accordingly. This bi-directional visibility reduces last-minute surprises and enables better resource planning on both sides. Similarly, digital case carts and RFID-based
tracking systems allow precise tracing of instrument usage, reducing duplication and minimising the chance of missing or incorrect items as they’re transported between locations or shared across sites. These technologies not only improve patient safety but also streamline compliance with documentation and regulatory standards.
Reclaiming clinical time through automation One of the most promising benefits of digital perioperative pathway optimisation is the opportunity to return skilled clinical time to patient care. In many hospitals, it is not uncommon for senior scrub nurses or Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) to spend significant portions of their shifts tracking down missing trays or loan gear, resolving scheduling mismatches, or manually managing equipment inventories. By automating and digitising these workflows,
clinical teams can be redeployed to tasks more aligned with their clinical expertise. For example, automated alerts can notify teams when trays are ready or when potential shortages arise, removing the need for manual follow-up. Digital dashboards can also provide real-time theatre status updates, allowing coordinators to optimise case sequencing or identify bottlenecks before they impact the schedule. This smarter, more agile approach to surgical
care delivery not only enhances clinical resource efficiency but can also improve workforce morale and retention — a crucial consideration in the current staffing climate.
Procedural transparency that powers better decisions Transparency is a recurring theme in successful perioperative pathway optimisation from both a staffing and cost standpoint. Improving productivity means delivering as much clinical value for patients as possible with the resources available, without compromising on quality or patient safety, and engaging multiple teams across different services. A whole provider approach is needed, whether it’s knowing where a tray is, understanding utilisation rates across multiple theatres, or anticipating staffing needs, the power of real-time data cannot be overstated. Specialised digital platforms enable
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operational leaders to make evidence-based decisions around theatre productivity and elective recovery efforts. For instance, theatre utilisation and procedure costing data can help identify underused lists, justify additional capacity, or support the redistribution of cases to maximise throughput. In a multi-site Trust, comparative dashboards can highlight variations in performance and foster a culture of continuous improvement. This transparency also empowers clinicians.
Surgeons and Anaesthetists can plan procedures with greater confidence, trusting that resources will be available as needed, and nurses can stop squirreling away critical consumables only for them to expire unused. Clinical governance is enhanced when adverse events or near misses can be traced back to specific process failures — and, crucially, rectified through data-informed interventions.
Sustainability through efficiency In addition to the clinical and operational benefits, perioperative pathway optimisation also supports environmental and financial sustainability. Inefficient theatre operations lead to wasted resources — unused instruments, unnecessary sterilisation cycles, idle time, and extended staff hours. Digitally-enabled workflows reduce duplication, improve planning, and cut down on waste. For example, better insight into instrument usage patterns can support tray rationalisation efforts — removing unused instruments and reducing the size (and weight) of surgical sets. This not only improves ergonomics and reduces sterilisation load but also supports carbon reduction targets. NHS’ Net Zero carbon
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