Recent advancements in information and communication technology have a dramatical impact on modern operating rooms. Most notably, preoperative surgical planning systems, intraoperative navigation, and other systems of computer assisted surgery, with the objective to efficiently support the surgical work, have had a great deal of influence. The research field of the project group „Model-based Automation and Integration (MAI)“ comprises the development and prototypical implementation of concepts for the “digital” operating room of the future. In this environment, the technical infrastructure is interlinked and the technical components cooperate with one another to provide an optimum support for the surgeon. Objective of this integrated surgical work place is the qualitative and quantitative improvement of the surgical treatment by dedicated workflow management for better patient care. The project group MAI emphasizes S&T work for prototypical IT-systems for the management of digital patient models, for workflow management systems, as well as for control and monitoring systems for the technical infrastructure in the digital operating room.