Charge nurses at a busy Level 1 trauma center are forced to use an AI-driven scheduling tool (iQueue) that they distrust due to lack of transparency about patient data security and perceived threat to professional autonomy.

Existing tools like Epic lack intelligent OR scheduling capabilities to optimize assignments and predict surgery durations, but the proposed AI tool iQueue is seen as opaque, financially motivated, and a threat to patient privacy and nurse autonomy.

Severity

4High

Willingness to Pay

none

Added

May 31, 2026

Workarounds Described

uses pencil, paper, white boards to create assignments and run the OR board

Implied Software Gaps

Digital OR scheduling and assignment tool that integrates with Epic and provides intelligent suggestions without removing nurse autonomy

App Concept

SurgiFlow Optimizer

SurgiFlow Optimizer is a transparent, nurse-friendly AI tool that integrates with Epic to optimize OR scheduling and predict surgery durations. It prioritizes patient data security, gives nurses control over final assignments, and explains its recommendations in plain language.

Key Features

Seamless Epic integration with full audit trail of data access
Explainable AI that provides reasoning for scheduling suggestions
Nurse-controlled final assignment override
Real-time OR board updates with conflict detection
Patient data encryption and compliance with HIPAA/GDPR

Target Users: Charge nurses and OR managers in hospital surgical departments (Level 1 trauma centers, large hospitals) with 10+ ORs and high case volume.

Revenue Model: Per-site annual license fee ($50,000–$100,000/year depending on OR volume) with optional add-on modules for predictive analytics.

Existing Solutions Mentioned

EpiciQueue

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