Lowering Communication Barriers in Operating Room Technology

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of new technology on team communication and information flow in a complex work environment, and offers design suggestions for improved team performance. Case study of a robot-assisted cholecystectomy procedure revealed teamwork disruption and an increase in the complexity of information flow and communication in the operating room as a result of the novel technology. A controlled experiment using a between-subjects design was conducted to test the hypothesis that providing critical information in a timely and accessible manner would increase communication efficiency and reduce errors in task performance. Eighteen pairs of participants took part in a simulated tool-changing task in surgery under one of three communication conditions: (a) no rules, (b) scripted, or (c) automated. Teams in the scripted and automated conditions performed significantly faster than the no-rules teams (p < .05). Teams in the automated condition made significantly more errors than those in the scripted condition (p < .05). Scripted speech can facilitate team communication and adaptation to new technology; automatic information display interfaces are not useful if the modality is incompatible with operator expectations. Information displays and communication protocols can be designed to ease adaptation to complex operating room technology.