Title: Operation time in coronary artery bypass graft

Authors: Juha-Matti Lehtonen, Mikko Hippelainen, Juhani Kouri, Matti A. Vartiainen

Addresses: Department of Industrial Management, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. 541, Tampere FI-33101, Finland. ' Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. 1777, Kuopio 70211, Finland. ' Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. 1777, Kuopio 70211, Finland. ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Helsinki University of Technolgoy, P.O. Box 5500, TKK FIN-02015, Finland

Abstract: Surgeon work rate effect is the most important factor influencing surgical operation times but unexplained variability remains considerable. Better knowledge could help improving productivity and lead to enterprise development. The first objective is to find out if motor ability is a component of surgeon work rate effect in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation. The results do not show any apparent connection between a surgeon|s motor ability and operation time. The second objective is to investigate other factors of CABG operation time in general. Interviewed surgeons mentioned most often team- and patient-related factors as influencing operation times but also other factors were mentioned.

Keywords: cardiac surgery; enterprise development; healthcare; operation time; performance rating; surgical performance; coronary artery bypass graft; heart bypass operations; surgeon work rate; surgical operation times; productivity; motor ability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2009.026309

International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 2009 Vol.7 No.4, pp.445 - 455

Published online: 06 Jun 2009 *

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