| Video technology can play a leading role in increasing efficiency and patient safety in the operating room (OR) of the future. Advances in image analysis methods allow for operating room workflow examination, process surveillance and equipment status monitoring. Recording of operative procedures can supply information for improvement of surgical performance. Real-time digital video recordings can be processed quickly and continuously to inform OR personnel about technical problems that may disrupt surgical procedures or even harm patients. Although a Digital OR Assistant (DORA) can be a powerful tool to establish a safe and efficient OR environment, medicolegal concerns have prevented video capture from being part of the OR routine. To strengthen the support for DORA, it is essential that hospitals and OR personnel are assured that the videos are not used for punitive purposes. The ethical and legal issues relating to the storage of sensitive images must be accounted for throughout the development of DORA. A protocol that sets limits to the events that DORA records is needed to gain cooperation and trust from OR personnel and approval of institutional boards. This protocol will ensure that DORA?s technical capabilities and hospital policies come into alignment and will therefore facilitate the implementation of the new technology. The aim of the proposed project is to devise a protocol that specifies the requirements for DORA. The protocol will make explicit how judicial use of the system is prevented and maximize the beneficial aspects of DORA for both OR personnel and the patient. A long term goal is that the developed scheme will serve as a guideline for an explicit description of quality systems for patient safety in the OR in the Dutch Quality Law of healthcare institutes. |
