Structured prioritization significantly reduces surgery waiting times

Implementing a structured prioritization process in a tertiary emergency unit dramatically decreased median surgical waiting times from over 17 hours to under 9 hours. Compliance with acceptable waiting time windows also improved significantly, rising from 60.5% to 77.1%. This observational study analyzed 1851 non-elective surgeries in two periods, demonstrating that an urgency classification, kanban dashboard, and multidisciplinary scheduling can enhance surgical efficiency in high-complexity environments, fostering better outcomes for patients.