Allocating operating room time in orthopaedic trauma: a survey in medical ethics

Allocation of operating room time is a challenging dilemma that surgeons frequently confront. When deciding upon a daily caseload, the surgeon may consider clinical, logistical, and social factors. Although previous studies have outlined guiding principles, there is no universal algorithm for prioritizing surgical patients. Our study aims to learn which factors orthopaedic trauma surgeons use when determining case priority. A survey regarding the allocation of operating room time was administered to orthopaedic trauma surgeons from the community and members of the Southeastern Fracture Consortium. Questions included a list of characteristics and a series of theoretical case scenarios to be ranked according to perceived priority. Of the participating surgeons, 92