Implementation strategy: one-stop recovery for cardiac surgical patients

Initial Perioperative Care of the Cardiac Surgical Patient

Recently, changes in the management of cardiac patients have allowed earlier discharge from the cardiac recovery area and reduced hospital length of stay. These changes have been drien by a need to reduce the cost of cardiac surgery and imrove efficiency. This change has been both financially sucessful and safe for patients. To allow for this success, a joint effort is required between the departments of cardiac surgery and anesthesiology involving the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative treatment of these patients. Through recogition of suitable candidates, modifications in anesthetic techique, and appropriate postoperative management, the goal of extubation within 6 hours of admission to the cardiac recovery area can be achieved. Changes in intraoperative and early postoperative management of cardiac surgical patients are discussed. Specific recovery models are reviewed with disussion of the parallel and integrated models. Methods of preicting prolonged extubation times and intensive care unit length of stay are also discussed. Initial management of the cardiac patient in the cardiac recovery area is presented with a more in-depth review of specific complications: stroke, atril fibrillation, blood loss, left ventricular dysfunction, and pulonary dysfunction.

Early extubation and fast-track management of off-pump cardiac patients in the intensive care unit

Off-pump surgery was the original approach to treating patients with cardiac disease in the era before cardiopulmonary bypass. With the advent and refinement of cardiopulmonary bypass, the use of this technique fell out of favor and was quickly surpassed by on-pump techniques. However, the limitations of bypass surgery, especially for coronary artery bypass procedures, was still significant, leading to renewed interest in this technique. Postoperative care for off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery presents both a challenge and opportunity to the intensivist. OPCAB patients can be treated in a fast-track manner allowing rapid recovery and early extubation and discharge from the intensive care unit. This is supported through the use of protocols that help standardize care and set expectations for the post-cardiac care team. Importantly, complications that may delay recovery including hypothermia, hypotension, and bleeding must be recognized early and treated aggressively to prevent unwanted complications and intensive care delays. Finally, care of these patients has shifted to the post-anesthesia recovery room, making knowledge of the care of these patients in the early postoperative period essential for cardiac anesthesiologists. This article will discuss the care of OPCAB patients following surgery and include approaches to managing patients who return both intubated and extubated.

A Clinical and Economic Evaluation of Fast-Track Recovery after Cardiac Surgery

<p><b>Background:</b> In the last 5 decades, the care of cardiac surgical patients has improved with the aid of strategies aimed at facilitating patient recovery. One of the innovations in this context is "fast-tracking" or "rapid recovery." This process refers to all interventions that aim to shorten a patient's stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) through accelerating the patient's transfer to a step-down or telemetry unit and to the general ward.</p><p><b>Methods:</b> Patients were allocated to 2 groups. The fast-track group (n = 84) went through an independent theatre recovery unit (TRU). The patients were then transferred on the same day to an intermediate care unit and transferred on the following day to the ward. The intensive care group (52 patients) went to the ICU for at least 1 day, after which they were transferred to the ward.</p><p><b>Results and Discussion:</b> The fast-track pathway significantly reduced the length of stay (LOS) in an intensive care facility (<i>P</i> < .001). The duration of intubation was reduced from a median of 4.08 hours (range, 1.17-13.17 hours) in the intensive care group to 2.75 hours (range, 0.25-18.57 hours) in the fast-track group (<i>P</i> < .001). However, the median values for total hospital LOS, incidences of complications, reintubation, and readmission were similar for the 2 groups. The incidence of failure in the fast-track group was 10%. The mean (SD) cost of the perioperative care was �4182 � �2284 ($6683 � 3650) for the fast-track patients, compared with �4553 � �1355 ($7277 � $2165) for the intensive care group.</p><p><b>Conclusion:</b> Fast-track recovery after cardiac surgery decreases the intensive care LOS and the total duration of intubation. It is a cost-effective strategy compared with conventional recovery protocols; however, it does not reduce the total hospital LOS or the incidence of complications.</p>

Impacting Patient Outcomes Through Design

To succeed in today's challenging healthcare environment, hospitals must examine their impact on customers--patients and families--staff and physicians. By using competitive facility design and incorporating evidence-based concepts such as the acuity adaptable care delivery model and the universal room, the hospital will realize an impact on patient satisfaction that will enhance market share, on physician satisfaction that will foster loyalty, and on staff satisfaction that will decrease turnover. At the same time, clinical outcomes such as a reduction in mortality and complications and efficiencies such as a reduction in length of stay and minimization of hospital costs through the elimination of transfers can be gained. The results achieved are dependent on the principles used in designing the patient room that should focus on maximizing patient safety and improving healing. This article will review key design elements that support the success of an acuity adaptable unit such as the use of a private room with zones dedicated to patients, families, and staff, healing environment, technology, and decentralized nursing stations that support the success of the acuity adaptable unit. Outcomes of institutions currently utilizing the acuity adaptable concept will be reviewed.

Rapid recovery following cardiac surgery: a nursing perspective

Fast track or rapid-recovery pathways following cardiac surgery are becoming common practice in many cardiac units in order to maximize use of scarce critical care resources. Within the UK, rapid recovery generally describes same-day discharge from the initial intensive care facility to a lower-dependency unit. There are no nationally agreed protocols to help guide this practice. In a London teaching hospital a nurse-led audit was undertaken to identify which patients were selected for rapid recovery and to evaluate safety (length of hospital stay and incidences of postoperative complications) compared to a conventional recovery pathway. The study also sought to gain insight into the patients' views on rapid recovery. Data were collected on 104 patients, all patients (n = 56) who followed a rapid-recovery pathway were included. A comparison group (n = 48) was selected from patients who followed a conventional recovery but who were eligible for rapid recovery. The primary outcome, median length of hospital stay was 6 days for both groups, but the rapid-recovery group experienced significantly fewer postoperative complications. Rapid recovery as currently practised on this unit is safe for carefully selected cardiac surgical patients but barriers to rapid recovery need to be explored.

Streamlining patient care processes through flexible room and equipment design

Hospitals are planning and designing new environments to accommodate a greater concentration of critically ill patients and to permit the installation of sophisticated technology required for the care of this high-acuity population. A serious nursing shortage, customer demands for privacy and personal amenities, and cost constraints pose numerous problems in planning and design processes. The flexible, acuity-adaptable room concept has been introduced as a platform for changing care processes to achieve a cost-effective care model that fosters nursing efficiency and increased customer satisfaction.