NEWSROOM

Turkish researchers from the University of Bath and Bilkent University started a new era in the medical world with the study they signed under the leadership of Dr Serhat Gül, a Faculty Member of the Department of Industrial Engineering at TED University. Thanks to the surgery scheduling approach they developed with the parallel processing principle, the idle time in the operating rooms is reduced by up to 40%. 

TURKEY - Researchers from the University of Bath and Bilkent University in England, under the leadership of TED University (TEDU) Industrial Engineering Department Lecturer Dr Serhat Gül, carried out a study that significantly increased the efficiency of operating rooms. In the study, it was revealed that many factors should be taken into account to plan the surgeries most efficiently. These include the completion of pre-operative preparations, the duration of the operation, the patient's condition, the availability of surgical equipment and the waiting times of other patients.

The idle time of operating rooms is reduced by 40%

Drawing attention to the fact that the productivity of healthcare workers has been increased with this project, TEDU Industrial Engineering Department Faculty Member Dr Serhat Gül conveys his thoughts on the subject with the following words: “The study was first tested in the urology service, and results were achieved that would make the researchers happy. It has been proven that an average of 40% improvement can be achieved in the idle time of the operating room by considering the patients' waiting times. We believe this research will greatly benefit both patients and healthcare professionals. We anticipate that with the right planning, many more surgeries can be performed in hospitals with limited operating rooms.”

“Healthcare workers' jobs will become easier”

TEDU Industrial Engineering Department Lecturer Dr Serhat Gül said, “Given the uncertainties in the duration of the surgeries, the process of scheduling the surgeries is quite complex. However, with this study, we have demonstrated that complex processes are simple and can be automated to improve the existing systems of hospitals. This practice will reduce the workload of health managers and pave the way for more planned and time-saving operations in hospitals. Pilot applications will be started in various hospitals soon," he said.

Featured in scientific and academic publications around the world

Underlining that the article published in Omega, one of the leading scientific journals in the field of management science, also found its place in worldwide media, TEDU Industrial Engineering Department Lecturer Dr Serhat Gül concluded his words as follows: “The results of the research, supported by the TEDU Scientific Research Projects fund, were recently published on the news page of the British University of Bath and the popular science websites of the UK. In the coming period, we aim to undertake studies that will improve various processes in the field of health.”