A P R I L 2 0 1 5 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 7
Moments in time
The black box platform, which is about the size of a tissue
box or thick book, records almost everything that happens
in the OR during laparoscopic surger-
ies. It captures video from the sur-
geon's imaging equipment and from a
camera mounted in the operating room.
It also captures audio recordings of sur-
gical team interactions, tracks physio-
logical data from the anesthesia moni-
tor and records the room's decibel lev-
els and air temperature, as well as
potential distractions: how often the OR door is opened and
how many times phones ring or ping.
Surgical teams can use the black box to zero in on specif-
ic moments during cases to check the patient's vital signs,
listen in on what the surgical team was discussing and
watch the surgeon's technique. Yes, they can use the tech-
nology to determine what led to a surgical error, but they
F
light data recorders embedded on
airliners retrace the events that led to mid-
air disasters. I've developed the
same "black box" technology for the OR
to find out why adverse events happen
and what can be done in the future to improve patient
safety. But the technology has broader applications.
My goal is place a black box in every OR, including
yours, to enhance surgical outcomes, improve case
efficiencies and lower healthcare costs.
Some surgeons express
reservations about having
Big Brother looking over their
shoulders during procedures,
watching their every move.
