ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the multiple factors that influence the performance of the operating room teams of a European teaching hospital. Unlike most theaters in the United States, the operating facility in the European hospital is designed for processing multiple patients. Each theater is attached to two induction rooms. By gaining a better understanding of how medical teams perform, it may become possible to develop strategies to enhance team performance and hence to reduce the likelihood of error. Team composition is continually changing with consultants, for example, coming and going to discharge other duties. Data from research into flight crew behavior have guided the present investigation, including the derivation of a conceptual model of operating room behaviour. Overall, the observations suggest that many opportunities exist for improving the coordination and efficiency of operating room teams. There are two broad areas of intervention to increase team effectiveness—organizational change and training.
