Hospitals in U.S. harness AI to boost operating room efficiency
FLORIDA and ARIZONA, UNITED STATES — Tampa General Hospital and Banner Health are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle surgical delays that harm patient outcomes and drive up costs.
AI-driven systems are optimizing operating room (O.R.) workflows, saving thousands of minutes per week and improving access to critical procedures.
AI-driven workflow optimization reduces surgical delays
Tampa General Hospital has implemented an AI-driven surgical operations system in 28 of its 52 O.R.s, using cameras and machine learning to predict case durations and turnover times with unprecedented accuracy.
Unlike previous manual data entry, which was error-prone and slow, the new system automates tracking from “wheels in to wheels out to wheels in again,” allowing staff to adjust schedules dynamically. This has already saved over 3,000 minutes per week in lost time and could enable over 600 additional annual procedures.
The technology provides live updates, eliminating the need for staff to call into O.R.s for progress checks. Kathleen Ulrich, Tampa General’s Senior Vice President of Perioperative Services, says the system optimizes resources, ensuring more patients receive timely care.
“We’re optimizing our resources better than ever,” said Ulrich. “And that means that more patients are getting the care that they need,” she added.
Similar innovations, like Stanford’s O.R. Black Box, are gaining traction, with experts predicting near-universal AI adoption in O.R.s soon.
Automated scheduling systems enhance O.R. access
Banner Health, adopted AI to streamline O.R. block scheduling, replacing manual processes riddled with cancellations and inefficiencies.
The AI analyzes surgeons’ historical patterns, predicting usage and freeing up unused time. Dr. Nirav Patel, medical director of surgical and procedural services, compares it to OpenTable for O.R.s, where surgeons can book slots based on real-time availability.
“If I want a reservation at a restaurant, I can see what’s available and I can book it. It’s the same concept here with O.R. availability. When an operating room is going to be open, the system gives you a way to plan for that,” he said.
The shift has improved resource allocation across Banner’s nearly 350 O.R.s, reducing administrative backlogs. Patel notes the system is “extremely successful” and hints at expanding AI into safety and quality monitoring.
Meanwhile, MarinHealth Medical Center uses AI for 3D anatomy mapping in aortic repairs, cutting X-ray use and O.R. time—proving AI’s versatility in boosting outcomes and efficiency.
