The integration of operating room systems -- which controls various jobs done in a surgical room by tying them up -- can reduce surgical time and manage workforce more efficiently, an industry executive said.

Kwon Young-min, the manager of Olympus Korea’s Surgical Product Division, made this and other points during a news conference held to launch his company’s new systems integration (SI) called “Endoalpha,” at Seoul Grand Intercontinental Hotel Tuesday.

Endoalpha is the integrated system of the operating room, which combines various jobs, including the use of medical equipment and devices and image transmission, into one system on computer networks, and controls it with a smart touch panel, according to Olympus Korea. It can connect dozens of surgical devices and is compatible with most peripheral devices except for laparoscopy. In the case of laparoscopy, only products made by the Olympus Group are compatible.

Major features of Endoalpha include the control of various and complicated surgical equipment with the smart touch panel, and the video management function that transmits surgical images through a camera installed on a wall to medical staffs outside the surgical room.

“Initial investment cost may be higher than the existing operating rooms, but Endoalpha is more cost-effective in the mid and long term because doctors can take care of more patients by saving surgical time,” Kwon said. Newly-hired nurses can do their jobs smoothly, allowing hospitals to employ nurses more efficiently.”

Noting that medical staffs have to operate about 20 equipment and devices in a surgical room manually, Kwon stressed that such an operating environment keeps doctors from concentrating on their jobs.

Another Olympus executive explained about the situations in other countries. “Endoalpha is advantageous for hospital management as it allows for more efficient operation of surgical room,” said Ito Hiroyuki, leader of Surgical Product Group of Olympus Corp. Asia-Pacific. “Large hospitals in Thailand and Philippines have already introduced the system.”

A Japanese hospital was able to reduce eight days of operating time a year, after adopting the system, he added.