Medical Technology & Pharmaceuticals
Setup Time Optimization Consulting: 20% Faster Surgical Setup Times at Charité
In the surgical department at CharitĂ© in Berlin, setup times varied considerably between operating rooms: In some rooms, the transition between patients took place much more quickly, while others required more time for cleaning and preparation. The cause was a lack of standardization in the cleaning process. BOLD KBC Center for Innovation implemented a disruptive innovation process using the structured, scientifically grounded âThe BOLD Wayâ method, compared all procedures across the operating rooms, generated solution ideas, and standardized the workflows. Result: BOLD KBC Center for Innovation reduced setup times by an average of 20%, increased operating room productivity, and enabled an average of one additional surgery per day.
Setup Time Optimization Consulting by the Numbers
additional surgery per day
The Customer
Charité University Hospital, Berlin
The CharitĂ© in Berlin is one of the largest university hospitals in Germany, performing thousands of surgeries each year. An analysis of the operating rooms revealed that setup times varied considerably from one room to another. Cleaning times also differed significantly. The causes lay in differences in materials, techniques, and procedures, which had not previously been systematically compared or standardized. Â
The Project
Systematic Setup Time Optimization Through Innovation Processes and Standardization
BOLD KBC Center for Innovation, in collaboration with CharitĂ©, launched a disruptive innovation process to analyze, optimize, and standardize surgical setup times. In the first step, all procedures in the various operating rooms were compared and documented. This revealed significant differences that no one had previously considered: In some rooms, pre-moistened mops were used, while in others, buckets of water with cleaning solution were used; the sequence of steps differed, as did the preparation of materials and the assignment of responsibilities.Â
The process was guided by the structured âThe BOLD Wayâ method, a scientifically grounded approach based on the work of Prof. Jacob Goldenberg at Reichman University and the analysis of thousands of innovations. Using the subtraction methodology, the team examined which manual steps or work processes could be eliminated. Subtraction involves removing key components or process steps from a system, thereby creating space for new solutions. Following the principle of fusion, the team examined how existing materials, roles, or preparation routines could take on additional tasks. In this way, differences in mops, water buckets, sequences, material provision, and responsibilities were not only described but also methodically translated into potential standard procedures.Â
Based on this analysis, the project team developed targeted improvement ideas and new perspectives for CharitĂ©: streamlining processes and standardizing procedures across operating rooms to ensure consistent, optimal setup times everywhere. Best practices from the fastest operating rooms were identified, combined, and documented as standard procedures. The team then monitored the implementation and reviewed the results.Â
The result
Measurable Productivity Gains Through Setup Time Optimization
By optimizing cleaning processes and adopting a new perspective, BOLD KBC Center for Innovation reduced setup times at CharitĂ© by an average of 20%. As a result, the project increased operating room productivity: it enabled an average of one additional surgery per day in each operating room, without requiring any additional structural changes. The 20% reduction in setup time demonstrates that the disruptive âThe BOLD Wayâ method can have a tangible operational impact in a project context.
The project demonstrates how targeted consulting on setup time optimization at Charité enables both concrete cost-effectiveness and improved patient care. Where downtime and wait times previously prevailed, systematic process improvement created additional capacity for medical care.
