Getinge Post-Pandemic Surgical Backlog Study
In May 2021, Getinge conducted a survey of 60 senior executives and surgeons from U.S. hospitals to assess the extent and impact of surgical backlogs that are developing as a result of the increase in patient demand as the U.S. emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the findings:
41% of hospitals report that they are experiencing a surgical backlog, with higher levels of delays reported in long-term acute care (60%) and outpatient surgery (53%) settings.
While 56% of hospitals report that they plan to hire more staff and 52% say they plan to require staff to work more hours to address the backlog, fewer than half (44%) report that they are using advanced digital tools that have been widely shown to improve operating efficiencies and scheduling challenges in surgical settings, with the lowest rate found in acute care settings (27%).
Hospitals with the longest scheduling delays were also the least likely to use advanced digital technologies to improve operational efficiencies.
"With thousands of patients facing delays in surgeries because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to improve scheduling efficiencies has never been more essential," says Eric Honroth. "Advances in AI technology can play a central role in a comprehensive plan to address these backlogs and can help to improve efficiency and lower costs for hospitals and surgery centers."
About Getinge
With a firm belief that every person and community should have access to the best possible care, Getinge provides hospitals and life science institutions with products and solutions that aim to improve clinical results and optimize workflows. The offering includes products and solutions for intensive care, cardiovascular procedures, operating rooms, sterile reprocessing and life science. Getinge employs over 10,000 people worldwide and the products are sold in more than 135 countries.
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