Improving Access to the Operating Room in the Largest Tertiary Hospital in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Ammar Najjar

June 2021

Access to the operating room within the priority target time frame significantly correlates with
the capacity, demand, scheduling, and prioritization culture. The result of this project shows that
the prioritization and scheduling culture along with subjective preference are the most influential
factors affecting the access to the operating room (OR).

This project involves a workflow review and Mind-Mapping of the operating room process at
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) Abu Dhabi/United Arab Emirates. Results show that
substantial gains can be realized by improving the compliance with the objective surgery
prioritization while clinical decisions influence resource optimization and access to care. Also,
matching the demand with capacity will reduce the overutilization in the inpatient capacity due
to the limitation of access to the OR.