Process-oriented systems analysis: Results of a case study in anaesthesia

This study assessed the anaesthesia work system's potential to regulate variances and disturbances in the work process in order to maintain safe clinical practice and patient care. The results of our case study show a rather low independence of the anaesthesia work system restricting its degree of self-regulation. However, safe work practice can be maintained due to the high polyvalence of the employees and increased coordination efforts of the anaesthesia work system. These results support the assumption that a process-oriented systems analysis could aid in understanding the organisational factors that affect performance and safety of anaesthesia work systems and thereby lead to improvements in the design of the complex operating room environment.