New machine-learning models could improve prediction of surgical-case duration

Operating rooms are a precious resource. They may account for 50 percent of a hospital's revenues and cost as much as $80 a minute. But figuring out how much time to allot for a surgery is a challenge every hospital faces. OR scheduling is a $5 billion problem. To optimize the OR, you have to answer a fundamental question: How long does each surgery take?. Underutilization means fewer patients get surgical care and the hospital has excess capacity.