Smarter Schedules, Fewer Delays: Al Enters the Operating Room

Hospitals test Optum's Crimson Al to cut waste and boost surgical efficiency

18 Sep 2025

Hospitals are turning to predictive analytics to address long-standing inefficiencies in operating room management, a critical yet costly part of healthcare delivery.

Optum's Crimson Al platform, which combines data from scheduling, staffing and supply systems, is among the most prominent entrants. The company said early adopters have improved operating room utilisation by about 7 per cent and cut waste from unused surgical supplies by up to 16 per cent. While these results are vendor-reported rather than independently verified, they point to growing confidence in predictive scheduling tools.

Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC, reported that the platform shortened its scheduling process by more than a week and lifted surgical volume by a similar percentage. Optum also cited potential returns on investment of up to 13 to 1, though broader validation remains limited.

The interest reflects wider pressure on health systems to manage rising costs, staff shortages and surgical backlogs. Expanding capacity through construction is slow and expensive, prompting hospitals to seek digital tools that make existing operating rooms more efficient. By forecasting case lengths, identifying idle time and flagging potential waste, predictive systems promise more precise use of resources.

Implementation remains a challenge. Integrating analytics platforms with hospital IT systems requires investment and coordination, while clinical staff may be cautious about tools that affect scheduling decisions. Data quality and transparency are also crucial to maintaining trust. Optum said Crimson Al is designed to assist, rather than replace, clinical judgment and includes safeguards against bias.

Despite the hurdles, adoption is accelerating. Predictive analytics, once confined to pilot projects, are now being integrated into routine operations across several hospital networks.

For patients, the shift could mean fewer delays and cancellations. For hospitals, it offers a potential path to higher utilisation and improved margins. As systems test these tools more widely, the future of operating rooms may depend as much on data intelligence as on surgical skill.