Abstract: Objective: To apply the Lean Six Sigma method to the analysis and optimization of the turnover surgery process, so as to improve the overall efficiency of turnover surgeries in the operating room and provide innovative solutions for the refined management of hospital operating rooms. Methods: An intelligent scheduling system was utilized to achieve the autonomous assignment of surgical tasks and the rational allocation of human resources for auxiliary staff. A total of 1576 surgeries before the workflow improvement and 1611 surgeries after the improvement were retrieved in July 2024. The time taken to admit patients to the operating room, the interval between turnover surgeries, the patients waiting time, and the satisfaction of medical staff were compared. Results: After improvement, the time taken to transfer patients into the operating room was reduced to 12 (7, 19) minutes. The interval between consecutive surgeries was shortened to 15(10, 22) minutes. Patient waiting time was decreased to 17(12, 21) minutes. The timeliness of task completion and the accuracy of time control of auxiliary staff were significantly improved, all of which were statistically significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: Applying the Lean Six Sigma method to the optimization of the workflow of auxiliary staff can improve the efficiency of consecutive surgeries, the satisfaction of medical staff, and enhance the efficiency of the hospital.

Key words: Lean Six Sigma; turnover efficiency; intelligent scheduling; information technology