Tech & Innovation in Healthcare

Question: I’m a surgeon and I’m always looking for ways we can improve efficiency in the operating room. I feel like instruments and equipment get misplaced or hidden, which makes it difficult to perform the procedure smoothly.

Is there a device or technology that could help us be more efficient in the surgical suite?

Colorado Subscriber

Answer: The answer to this question is low-tech, but still effective — pockets. In a collaboration with Cardinal Health, Mayo Clinic, and Joseph Dearani, MD, director of pediatric and adult congenital heart surgery at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Dearani developed a disposable surgical gown with pockets.

The long-sleeve gown contains two large pockets on the chest and a smaller pocket in the middle. The pockets maintain sterility, so the surgeon can safely hold surgical instruments they use frequently nearby during procedures. The chest pockets are carefully designed at an angle, so the surgeon can insert and remove tools without inadvertently touching their face.