[Factors that interfere in the surgical programming in a second-level hospital in Mexico].

Background: Surgical programming is a priority for hospital management due to its impact on health.

Objective: To analyze the aspects that affect the surgical programming in a secondary care hospital in Mexico.

Material and methods: Hospital operating room programming records for 2021 were consulted. Surgical interventions, operating room usage times, causes of deferrals, surgical delay and turnover times were described. Percentages, mean and standard deviation were estimated; the analysis was carried out with chi-squared and Student's t. A panel of experts was integrated to identify the factors that affect the performance of operating rooms.

Results: In 2021, the hospital had 2660 records of surgical programming for 2317 patients; 2.7% of surgeries were deferred. Mostly urgent (46.1%) and scheduled (43.5%) surgeries were performed. The average surgical delay time was 65 minutes and the turnover time was 92 minutes; these times were inadequate in emergency surgeries, in night and evening schedules surgeries (p < 0.05). Deficiencies in surgical time management and surgery scheduling with a degree of urgency ≥ 7 days mainly affected the performance of the operating room.

Conclusion: Surgical programming of the hospital presents areas of opportunity for improvement and shows factors that affect surgical management, useful for similar hospitals.