Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Given the increase in the cost of health care, economic considerations have drawn more and more interest over the last decade. Facilities are faced with the challenge to reduce costs while maintaining productivity. The Operating Room (OR) represents a significant opportunity to reduce expenses and improve efficiency. With the development of ambulatory or day surgery, minimally invasive procedures and the decline in admissions to hospitals the management of the OR suite needs re-evaluation. The Battlefords Union Hospital has a four room OR suite that performs a mixture of both inhospital and day surgeries. The current OR suite efficiency is determined by its adherence to the annual budget. A literature study was conducted with the focus on OR efficiency and in particular Patient Outcome and OR Management. Other issues included Perioperative Information systems and OR design. A survey was conducted in the OR suite and responses obtained from OR staff were evaluated. The survey included questions on patient experiences, procedural times, case scheduling, support, communication, quality measures and OR efficiency. The goals of this project was not to do an extensive statistical analysis of OR data. A limited study of OR suite data was presented to highlight relevant OR efficiency indicators. A summary of the findings and recommendations for improvement of the Battlefords Union Hospital OR suite’s efficiency, concludes the report. / AFIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na aanleiding van die verhoging in koste van gesondheidsorg die laaste dekade, is ekonomiese aspekte meer op die voorgrond. Inrigtings word deur uitdagings in die gesig gestaar om kostes te verminder, terwyl produktiwiteit gehandhaaf moet word. Die operasie suite bied ‘n aansienlike geleentheid om kostes te verminder en effektiwiteit te verhoog. Met die ontwikkeling van dagchirurgie, “minimal invasive” prosedures en die afname in hospitaal opnames, behoort die bestuur van operasie suites herevalueer te word. Die Battlefords Union Hospitaal het ‘n vier teater operasie suite waar ‘n verskeidenheid van dagchirurgie en in-hospitaal prosedures uitgevoer word. Die operasie suite se effektiwiteit word huidiglik slegs gemeet aan die mate van hoe dit binne die jaarlikse begroting bly. ‘n Literatuurstudie is uitgevoer met die fokus op operasie suite effektiwiteit, met die klem op pasient uitkoms en operasie suite bestuur. Ander items wat ook ondersoek is, sluit in perioperatiewe informasie stelsels en teater ontwerp. ‘n Empiriese studie, gebaseer op ‘n vraelys, is uitgevoer onder die staflede van die operasie suite by die Battlefords Union Hopitaal. Die vraelys het vrae ingesluit oor pasient ervarings, prosedure tye, geval skedulering, kommunikasie, kwaliteitsversekering en operasie suite effektiwiteit. Die doel van die projek was nie om ‘n uitgebreide statistiese analise van die operasie suite data te doen nie. 'n Beperkte studie van die beskikbare data is gedoen en relevante effektiwiteits indikators is uitgewys. Die verslag word afgeëindig deur bevindinge, gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings oor hoe die Battlefords Union Hospitaal die operasie suite se effektiwiteit moontlik kan verhoog.