Data-Driven Surgical Supply Lists Are Helping Hospitals Cut Costs, Reduce Waste, and Improve Efficiency

Hospitals are constantly under pressure to reduce costs without compromising patient care, and a new study from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine shows that one surprisingly simple change can make a massive difference: rethinking surgical supply lists. According to this research, hospitals could save millions of dollars and significantly reduce medical waste just by using data to decide what actually needs to be in an operating room.

The study, conducted in collaboration with the Data Science Alliance, was published online on November 26, 2025, in JAMA Surgery. It focuses on something known as surgical preference cards, which are standardized checklists used by hospitals to prepare operating rooms for specific procedures.

How Surgical Preference Cards Became a Hidden Source of Waste

Surgical preference cards are meant to make surgeries smoother by ensuring that all necessary tools and supplies are ready ahead of time. However, over the years, these cards often grow bloated. Items are added “just in case,” rarely removed, and then copied repeatedly for future procedures.

The result is operating rooms stocked with far more supplies than surgeons actually use. Many of these unused items are opened, discarded, or sent back for restocking, all of which adds to hospital costs and waste. This inefficiency has largely gone unnoticed because preference cards are traditionally updated manually, based on habit or individual experience rather than real evidence.

The UC San Diego research team wanted to see what would happen if hospitals relied on actual usage data instead of assumptions.

What the Researchers Studied and How They Did It

The team analyzed thousands of surgeries performed at UC San Diego Health, focusing on three major specialties: urology, surgical oncology, and colorectal surgery. By reviewing detailed records of what supplies were truly used during these procedures, the researchers were able to identify which items were essential and which were consistently unnecessary.

Using advanced statistical models, including regression analysis based on real-world surgical data, they created streamlined versions of preference cards that maintained full surgical readiness. Importantly, patient safety was never compromised in the process.

The goal was not to cut corners, but to eliminate excess.

The Financial Impact Was Bigger Than Expected

The results were striking. Across the analyzed specialties, unused surgical supplies represented a major source of waste. Over a five-month period alone, the potential savings from reducing unnecessary items reached up to $3 million. These costs came from supplies that were either thrown away after being opened or repeatedly restocked without ever being used.

When scaled across a full year and applied to larger health systems, the potential financial impact becomes enormous. For hospitals already struggling with rising operational costs, this type of efficiency improvement could free up resources for staffing, technology upgrades, and patient care.

Efficiency Gains Beyond Cost Savings

Reducing unused supplies doesn’t just save money. It also saves time. Fewer items on preference cards mean faster setup before surgeries and quicker cleanup afterward. According to the researchers, optimized supply lists can significantly reduce preparation and turnover time between cases.

This translates into smoother operating room workflows and the possibility of treating more patients in the same amount of time. Shorter wait times for surgeries and improved scheduling efficiency are indirect but important benefits of this approach.

A Shift Toward Evidence-Based Supply Management

Traditionally, preference cards have been updated based on individual surgeon preferences or informal feedback. This study introduces a more evidence-based method, relying on historical usage data to guide decisions.

The researchers demonstrated that data-driven updates are not only more accurate but also more consistent. Instead of relying on memory or tradition, hospitals can use objective data to determine what is truly needed for each procedure.

This approach aligns with a broader movement toward responsible data science in healthcare, where analytics are used to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality or safety.

UC San Diego Health Is Already Putting This Into Practice

This isn’t just a theoretical exercise. UC San Diego Health has begun implementing these optimized preference cards in real surgical settings. The institution is also exploring ways to automate updates so that supply lists stay accurate over time instead of slowly accumulating unnecessary items again.

By keeping preference cards dynamic and data-informed, hospitals can prevent waste from creeping back in and ensure long-term efficiency gains.

Why This Matters for the Future of Healthcare

Operating rooms are among the most expensive areas of a hospital to run. Surgical supplies represent a significant portion of those costs, and even small inefficiencies can add up quickly. This study shows that meaningful savings don’t always require cutting services or staff — sometimes they come from smarter systems.

Reducing surgical waste also has environmental benefits. Medical waste disposal is costly and energy-intensive, and minimizing unnecessary supplies contributes to more sustainable healthcare operations.

Perhaps most importantly, this research highlights how data analytics can have practical, real-world impact. Rather than abstract metrics or dashboards, the insights directly improve how care is delivered.

Understanding Surgical Preference Cards for Non-Medical Readers

For those unfamiliar with hospital operations, surgical preference cards act like a detailed shopping list for each type of surgery. They include everything from instruments and sutures to disposable supplies. While the intention is preparedness, unchecked growth of these lists leads to overstocking.

What this study proves is that preparedness and efficiency are not opposites. With the right data, hospitals can be both fully prepared and resource-conscious at the same time.

A Model That Other Hospitals Can Follow

The researchers hope this study encourages health systems across the country to adopt similar data-driven approaches. Because preference cards exist in virtually every hospital, the model is highly scalable. Any institution with access to surgical usage data can begin evaluating its own supply lists.

As healthcare costs continue to rise globally, solutions like this demonstrate how thoughtful analysis can lead to smarter spending, better workflows, and improved patient outcomes.

Final Thoughts

This study from UC San Diego makes a strong case for reexamining everyday hospital practices that often go unquestioned. By applying data-driven decision-making to surgical supply lists, hospitals can reduce waste, save money, and improve efficiency — all without compromising patient safety.

Sometimes, meaningful innovation doesn’t come from new machines or breakthrough drugs, but from using existing data in smarter ways.

Research paper:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2841789