The inability of operating room physicians to start on time according to the established schedule is a common problem that has long plagued the management of operating rooms in most hospitals. The on-time opening of the first surgery is one of the characteristics that an efficient operating theatre should have. First of all, the operating room is a high-cost centre in hospitals, with strict environmental requirements, concentration of instruments and equipment, high use of medical consumables, high manpower costs and collaborative team service requirements, and thus high operating costs. The efficiency of hospital operating theatre utilisation is directly related to the turnover of patients in the surgical unit, and affects the economic and social benefits of the hospital. Relevant reports have shown that punctual commencement of surgery and standardisation of operating hours can help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the operating theatre. Secondly, the punctual start of the first surgery plays a decisive role in the volume and efficiency of the following surgery. A delay in the start of the first surgery will seriously affect the process of the following surgery, which in turn will increase the overtime time of the medical staff related to surgical anaesthesia and reduce the work efficiency.

The work of the operating theatre involves many personnel and departments, and the efficiency of the operating theatre is often the result of a combination of factors. For the above reasons, we investigated the delayed opening of the first surgery, and the results showed that the normal opening rate was not high.

Through PDCA quality continuous improvement, it helps to reduce the first surgery delayed start rate and improve the overall efficiency of the operating room.

For the hospital: rational use of medical resources, comprehensively improve the quality of care, and enhance the overall brand image of the hospital;

For the operating room:optimising the workflow, improving work efficiency, enhancing team cohesion, increasing the safety of surgery, reducing overtime work and improving the satisfaction of surgical staff;

For patients:speed up the turnover of surgical patients, shorten the waiting time of patients before surgery, reduce the preoperative fear and anxiety of patients and their families, and improve the satisfaction of surgical patients.