Background and aimThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on healthcare systems. Several local infection control methods were put in place, which have now evolved and continued in some form or the other. According to various research, as the time duration for distinct phases in the pathway rose, trauma theatre efficiency reduced. However, there is no literature, to our knowledge, that has explicitly looked at theatre utilisation and cost efficiency compared them and expressed theatre efficiency in these terms. The aim of this article is to study theatre efficiency in terms of utilisation and costs before and during the pandemic and understand the influence of infection control protocols on these. Materials and methodsThe data were collected retrospectively from the ORMIS theatre management software (iPath Softwares, Ohio), from December 2019 (pre-COVID) and December 2020 (COVID). Turnaround time, utilisation time and combined operative time were defined and compared. Costs incurred due to over-running, underrunning and turnaround time were compared. ResultsTheatre utilization was 101% during COVID and 86.63% pre-COVID. The average cost of over-running as well as under-running a theatre list during the pandemic was significantly higher. ConclusionOptimal theatre utilisation and reduced time between cases improve theatre efficiency. Turnaround time, if reduced, can not only decrease costs but also increase efficiency. Theatre utilisation and efficiency can be maintained even with new infection control protocols, but these are not cost-efficient.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced health care delivery significantly. Numerous studies have highlighted that trauma theater efficiency has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, there is limited information as to exactly which stage of the patient theater journey is causing this decreased efficiency and whether efficiency can be improved. In the trauma theater of Warrington Hospital, United Kingdom, we have attempted to maintain trauma theater efficiency despite the requirement for increased infection control. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of additional COVID-19 infection control protocols on trauma theater efficiency in our center, considering the length of time taken for specific theater events, and to find out whether our interventions were successful in maintaining theater efficiency. Methods We compared the efficiency of the trauma theater in a busy unit in December 2019 (pre–COVID-19) and December 2020 (with COVID-19 protocols in place). We collected time logs for different theater events for each patient in December of both years and compared the data. Results There was no significant difference in the average number of cases performed per session between the COVID-19 and pre–COVID-19 time periods (P=.17). Theater start time was significantly earlier during the COVID-19 period (P<.001). There was no significant difference between the two periods in transport time, check-in time, preprocedure time, anesthetic time, and the time between cases (P>.05). A significant difference was observed in the check-out time between the two groups in the two time periods, with checking out taking longer during the COVID-19 period (P<.001). Conclusions Our results show that our theater start times were earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the overall theater efficiency was maintained despite the additional COVID-19 infection control protocols that were in place. These findings suggest that well-planned infection control protocols do not need to impede trauma theater efficiency in certain settings.