An operating room management information system schedules cases, tracks resources and records what happened, while the integrated OR itself handles video, devices and room functions. Connecting the two, together with HIS, PACS and the electronic medical record, turns a technical room into part of the hospital's data flow. This explainer is for hospital IT teams and covers the main links, the standards involved and the questions to settle.
The systems involved
Four groups of systems meet around an integrated OR. The hospital information system holds patient identity and orders. PACS stores and serves medical images. The electronic medical record holds the clinical documentation. The operating room management software or booking system holds the theatre schedule, teams, case times and resources.
The integrated OR sits next to these systems and exchanges information with them. Lojer OpenOR is described as communicating with HIS, BMS and PACS, which covers the hospital information system, the building management system and image archiving.
Standards and data flows
Medical images are normally exchanged using DICOM, and clinical and administrative messages using HL7. In practice, an integrated OR may need to retrieve images from PACS for display during the case, receive patient and case details from the hospital system, and send recordings or captured images back to an archive.
Do not assume a standard is supported because the system is described as open. Ask the supplier which interfaces are implemented for your versions of HIS and PACS, who configures them and how they are tested. Interface work often needs the vendors of the hospital systems as well as the integrator.
Case scheduling and patient identity
Linking the OR to the scheduling system allows the room to be prepared with the right patient and case details, reducing manual entry. Check how the system handles last-minute changes, emergency cases and patient identity so that recordings and images are never attached to the wrong record.
A booking or management system can also report room use, turnover times and delays. Decide in advance which data should flow from the room into those reports, such as case start and end times, and who owns the data.
Recording, storage and export
Recorded video and still images are clinical data. Define where they are stored, how long they are kept, who can view or export them and how they are linked to the patient record. Storage can be local, on a hospital server or in an archive, and each choice has network and security implications.
Recordings are also used for teaching and conferences. OpenOR is described with a fibre network that supports uncompressed 4K and with telementoring and conference streaming, so plan bandwidth, access control and consent rules together with IT and clinical governance.
Security, governance and next steps
Treat the integrated OR as part of the hospital network. Agree network segmentation, access control, update and patching responsibilities, backups and logging. Data protection and health data rules in the UAE are set by the relevant authorities, so confirm requirements with your compliance team.
For selection guidance see our guide to choosing an OR integration system and the article on the operating room control panel. To discuss connectivity for your rooms, contact Beckfinity.
Frequently asked questions
What is an operating room management information system?
A system that handles theatre scheduling, resources, teams and case records, and that can exchange data with the hospital information system and the integrated OR.
How are images from PACS shown in the operating room?
Typically through a DICOM interface that retrieves studies for display on room monitors. Confirm the interface for your PACS with the supplier.
Does an integrated OR replace OR booking software?
No. They have different roles: the integrated OR controls the room and video, while booking software manages schedules and resources.
Who is responsible for interface testing?
It is shared among the integrator, the hospital IT team and the vendors of HIS and PACS. Agree responsibilities and acceptance tests in writing.
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