Modeling the Effects of Information Quality on Process Performance in Operating Rooms

Operating rooms are regarded as the most costly hospital facilities. Due to rising costs and risks, it is necessary to optimize performance of the operating rooms. High quality information has a significant effect on improving process performance and patient satisfaction, as well as resolving patient disputes. Based on the analysis of the operation process, information quality (IQ) is considered as an important contributory factor in improving patient throughput. In this paper, a theoretical framework and main content are presented. Through the establishment of quantitative information, quality indicators such as Trace-ability, Believability and Reputation, and the effect on process performance (registered queue length, waiting time, utilization of hospital facilities), together with the cost of the operating process, are analyzed from the theoretical aspect and then verified by simulation technology. Finally, the results of our studies provide evidence that simulation can provide effective decision support to drive performance in operating rooms in several phases of the IQ improvement.