Boost Seen in Adoption of Hybrid Operating Rooms

Many hospitals in Europe are overcoming the high cost and complexity of implementation in hybrid operating rooms (OR) by adopting better planning and budget allocation. These are the latest findings of Frost & Sullivan (Mountain View, CA, USA), an international market research firm.

Currently, Europe has very few hybrid ORs in comparison to mature markets such as North America. This is set to change as the hybrid OR--which combines conventional surgical equipment with state-of-the-art endovascular imaging equipment to facilitate a multitude of new surgical events for practically all medical disciplines--facilitates sophisticated surgeries while reducing hospitalization periods, thereby encouraging hospitals with larger cardiac and neurosurgery services to implement at least one hybrid OR.

Most standard operating theatres are running at an average of 68% of their capacity, even though it is the largest revenue and cost-generating center for a hospital, accounting for approximately 42% of the average healthcare organization's revenue and a proportionate share of its costs. But a hybrid OR will allow both human and technical resources to be employed optimally. Thus, integration of a hybrid OR into the central surgical department generates the most advantages, since a hybrid OR allows interdisciplinary applications and is available as an OR resource for minimally invasive surgeries.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the key restraint to the uptake of hybrid OR is cost, as the expense involved in setting up a hybrid OR suite can vary between USD 3 to 9 million, including the heavy investment in large devices such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) systems. In Europe, installation costs alone start at USD 4 million for an empty site.

“Hybrid OR is perceived as an expensive alternative to traditional operating rooms, mainly due to the high initial investment,” said Kamalasekar Somsainathan, a research analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “Currently, European countries are struggling to overcome the economic crisis and such investments are not seen as attractive or critical areas that demand immediate budgets. Due to lack of funds, hybrid OR is witnessing a lower adoption rate than its actual potential.”

“Practically, once the hybrid is set up, the hospital can save costs through its use and additionally optimize the selection and quality of treatment routines. This also increases patient and staff satisfaction,” concluded Mr. Somsainathan. “Educating and increasing the awareness about the benefits of hybrid OR, as well as targeting the private hospitals that have sufficient funds, will help in the short run.”

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