26.07.2022

The psychological effect of integrated operating rooms and cleanroom modules

Autors

Kirill Zaputryaev

Director of Development and Founder of Medical Visual Systems

Tatyana Mokshina

Head of Marketing and PR

Modern operating rooms, designed in cleanroom modules, with the integration of engineering systems and medical equipment, are becoming the standard for equipping operating units in Russia.

If 5 years ago the concept of integrated operating rooms was familiar to only a small number of surgeons, today it is an established concept in the surgical community.

From a functional point of view, the role of integrated operating rooms is disclosed and understood by surgeons, they are harmoniously integrated into work processes. In Russian hospitals, such functions are actively involved as:

setting up visualization inside the operating room and in the operating unit;
setting up engineering systems and managing medical equipment;
documenting the operation (video recording);
planning of operations and operating rooms;
monitoring of operating room loading, plan-fact analysis;
archiving of video recordings, creation of a single video archive of the clinic;
video conferencing with operating rooms, telemedicine;
“live surgery” online.

In addition to functional capabilities, there is also an important psychological effect from working in modern operating rooms, significantly affecting the performance indicators of the surgical department and the outcome of the operation.

We are talking about a special positive emotional state of patients and medical staff, which they experience while in the space of the cleanroom module and the integrated operating room.

The role and importance of the emotional state of both the patient and the doctor is underestimated in Russia, meanwhile, it is in the process of surgical intervention that it is essential.

Surgical intervention for both sides – the doctor and the patient carries the maximum psychological and especially emotional burden among all types of medical manipulations.

MVS Integrated Operating Rooms in the cleanroom module at the D.D. Pletnev City Clinical Hospital.

The visual impact of integrated operating rooms. The cleanliness of the space and a positive attitude.

The operating units, created using cleanroom technology in combination with integrated operating rooms, evoke a sense of cleanliness, beauty and modernity, unlike traditional tiled operating rooms.

Of particular importance for the formation of the emotional state of people is the appearance and color scheme of the premises of the operating unit: cleanroom modules with built-in panels are designed in any color: yellow, blue, turquoise, pink, light green, etc.

Integrated operating rooms in the design of cleanroom modules create a friendly, cozy, positive space.

Doctors note that operating in such operating rooms is an aesthetic and professional pleasure. There is less workload, it is more comfortable and calmer to work.

Patients entering such an operating room (the time before the introduction of anesthesia for elective surgery, spent in the operating room, is usually 10 – 30 minutes), they are amazed at the beauty, their attention switches from their inner experiences to the decoration of the walls, anxiety and anxiety decrease, there is a feeling of serenity and calmness, trust in the medical organization and to the operating team.

Photographs are often used in wall panels in operating rooms and illustrations selected by the staff of the clinics, including from the personal archives of the surgeons themselves.And for the patient, the picture becomes a good reason for an easy conversation with the operating nurse, (which meets and adjusts the patient immediately before surgery), which also plays an important role for psychological relief and again immerses the patient in the field of trust before surgery, causing a Placebo effect.

Of course, such moments are difficult to measure and accurately assess, but we can say with confidence that any patient will feel better, more positive, more confident in a beautiful, spacious, innovative space, which has a positive effect on the patient’s vital signs.

Visualization of the processes taking place in the operating unit as a symbol of order

A large number of monitors is one of the features of integrated operating rooms. At the same time, monitors are used not only in the operating room itself, but also in the corridor of the operating unit.

For example, information about ongoing and planned operations with indication of doctors, patients, diagnoses is displayed on a corridor monitor and is perceived by a patient waiting for surgery in the corridor of the operating unit as a sign of organization, order, transparency of what is happening in the department.

Also, in the clean corridor of the operating room, a monitor is installed in front of the entrance to the operating room with a video stream of what is happening there on all connected video sources.

On the one hand, the presence of monitors with different functionality supports and disciplines doctors, on the other hand, signals to patients about transparency and control of surgical processes in the hospital.

Ergonomics of the integrated operating room space

One of the most important features of integrated operating rooms is thoughtful ergonomics. Medical equipment is located on ceiling consoles, and not on the floor, as in conventional operating rooms, which saves space, creates an atmosphere of order, thoughtfulness and order, which of course is not only convenient, but also makes a positive impression on both doctors and patients.

Monitors inside the operating room carry different functional loads and allow each member of the operating team to perform their role without interfering with anyone: test results and medical history are usually open on the nurse’s monitor, light, temperature, humidity control, closing-opening-locking doors are carried out from a single control panel, monitors around the operating table allow all operating surgeons to receive the necessary images are in front of the eyes, for residents who follow the operation, there is a large viewing monitor built into the wall. Thus, a well-thought-out workspace makes the work of doctors comfortable.

Audial fluence, positive music vibes.

Built-in speakers in integrated operating rooms allow you to listen to music. Surgeons set their playlists, operating on their favorite compositions. In the preoperative rooms, music is played for patients recovering from anesthesia. Such capabilities of integrated operating rooms have an important psychotherapeutic effect for both patients and doctors.

At the moment, integrated operating rooms and cleanroom modules are already widely used in Russian public hospitals of various profiles, a little less often – in private clinics.

If we talk about high-tech medical care, it is often available only in public hospitals equipped with the most modern medical equipment.

This is also noted by surgeons themselves: today, public hospitals are often better equipped in terms of IT and medical equipment.

According to the reviews of many surgeons, it becomes preferable for them from a professional point of view to operate in state operating rooms equipped with laminars, clean room modules, modern endovideoscopic and diagnostic equipment.

Doctors that working in modern integrated operating rooms feel pride and professional pleasure.

The presence of integrated operating rooms is now becoming an undeniable competitive advantage of a medical organization, both in terms of fighting for the best medical personnel, and in terms of attracting patients, the quality and speed of surgical care, the accumulation of educational material, and attracting students.