Improving OR efficiency with machine learning prediction of case-time duration

Editor's Note

In this study, researchers developed service- and surgeon-specific statistical models using linear regression and machine learning to predict case-time duration at a large academic medical center.

Results showed:

• The machine-learning algorithm had the highest predictive capability.
• The surgeon-specific was superior to the service-specific model, with higher accuracies and percentage of cases in the 10% threshold as well as lower percentages of overage and underage.
• The ability to predict cases within 10% improved from 32% using the institutional standard to 39% using the machine-learning, surgeon-specific model.

Machine-learning approaches may improve case duration estimations, which will improve OR scheduling, efficiency, and reduced costs, the researchers say.