Postponed or cancelled heart operations from the patient's perspective

Perioperative Process Mapping to Identify Inefficiencies at a Tertiary Hospital in Malawi

INTRODUCTION

Same-day surgical case cancellation consumes resources, disrupts patient care, and has a global prevalence of 18%. A retrospective analysis found that 44% of scheduled elective surgeries were canceled at a public tertiary hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. To better characterize these cancellations, this study defines a process map for surgical case completion and investigates hospital staff and patient perspectives on contributing factors and burdens of cancellation.

METHODS

We conducted participatory process mapping and in-depth interviews with hospital staff (n = 23) and patients (n = 10) to detail perioperative processes and perspectives on cancellations. We used purposive sampling to recruit staff by hospital role and patients whose surgery had been canceled. Interviews were audio-recorded, translated, and transcribed for process mapping accuracy and thematic analysis using the constant comparative method and NVivo software.

RESULTS

Staff delineated specific steps of the perioperative process, generating a process map that identifies inefficiencies and opportunities for intervention. Hospital staff described unavoidable causes of case cancellation, such as unreliable water supply and material shortages. Modifiable causes linked to wasted time and resources were also evident, such as chronic tardiness, communication barriers, and inadequate preoperative assessment. Thematic analysis of perceived impacts of cancellation revealed compromised provider-patient relationships, communication breakdown, and emotional distress. Staff and patients expressed frustration, embarrassment, fear, and demoralization when planned surgeries were canceled.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate the use of process mapping as a tool to identify implementation targets for reducing case cancellation rates. Hospital systems can adapt this approach to address surgical case cancellation in their specific setting.

FROST 2.0: Factors Predicting Orthopaedic Trauma Volumes - A Validation Study

The anecdotal relationship between weather, season, and orthopaedic trauma volumes is understood by patients and healthcare providers: when the winter ground is icy, people fall. Previous research established that winter and summer months as well as ice and snow were significant predictors of orthopaedic trauma and surges in volumes. The current study validates the previously established predictive model in one Canadian city; the original methods were repeated using a new, yet geographically similar dataset. The effect of month and ice were consistent, which suggests the proposed model has sufficient external validity to guide resource allocation and primary prevention strategies.

Is menstruation a valid reason to postpone cardiac surgery?

Background:

Cancellation of any scheduled surgery is a significant drain on health resources and potentially stressful for patients. It is frequent in menstruating women who are scheduled to undergo open heart surgery (OHS), based on the widespread belief that it increases surgical and menstrual blood loss.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to evaluate blood loss in women undergoing OHS during menstruation.

Settings and Design:

A prospective, matched case-control study which included sixty women of reproductive age group undergoing OHS.

Patients and Methods:

The surgical blood loss was compared between women who were menstruating (group-M; n = 25) and their matched controls, i.e., women who were not menstruating (group-NM; n = 25) at the time of OHS. Of the women in group M, the menstrual blood loss during preoperative (subgroup-P) and perioperative period (subgroup-PO) was compared to determine the effect of OHS on menstrual blood loss.

Results:

The surgical blood loss was comparable among women in both groups irrespective of ongoing menstruation (gr-M = 245.6 ± 120.1 ml vs gr-NM = 243.6 ± 129.9 ml, P value = 0.83). The menstrual blood loss was comparable between preoperative and perioperative period in terms of total menstrual blood loss (gr-P = 36.8 ± 4.8 ml vs gr-PO = 37.7 ± 5.0 ml, P value = 0.08) and duration of menstruation (gr-P = 4.2 ± 0.6 days vs gr-PO = 4.4 ± 0.6 days, P value = 0.10).

Conclusion:

Neither the surgical blood loss nor the menstrual blood loss is increased in women undergoing OHS during menstruation.

Last-minute cancellation of adult patients scheduled for cardiothoracic surgery in a large Dutch tertiary care centre

OBJECTIVES

Unanticipated cancellation of a surgical procedure is a common problem, causing distress to the patient and increases in healthcare costs. However, limited evidence exists on the effects of last-minute cancellations of cardiothoracic surgical procedures in particular. The goal of this study was to gain insight into the prevalence of and the reasons for last-minute cancellations and to examine whether cancellation is associated with adverse medical outcomes.

METHODS

Patients who were scheduled for elective cardiothoracic surgical procedures between January 2017 and June 2019 were evaluated. The reasons for the cancellations were assigned to the categories medically related or process related. We examined the differences in patient characteristics between those designated as no cancellation, medically related cancellations and process-related cancellations. Lastly, we examined the outcomes of patients who experienced a last-minute cancellation of a scheduled operation.

RESULTS

A total of 2111 patients were included; of these, 301 (14.3%) had last-minute cancellations. In 78 (26%) cases, the cancellations were attributable to medical reasons (e.g. infection, comorbidities); 215 (71%) of the cancellations were process related (e.g. another patient in more urgent need of surgery, lack of staff). Almost 99% of the operations with a process-related cancellation were rescheduled compared to only 71.8% of the medically related cancelled operations (P < 0.001). Patients with a medically related cancellation had significantly higher 1-year mortality than patients who had no cancellation (unadjusted hazard ratio 2.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-4.78; P = 0.006); after adjustment for the EuroSCORE II, this effect remained significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Last-minute cancellations were commonly seen in our cohort, and the reasons for cancellation were significantly related to adverse medical outcomes.

Delayed and cancelled orthopaedic surgery; are there solutions to reduce the complex set of problems? A systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

Unexpected cancellations of, and delays to, orthopaedic surgery have adverse effects, with a negative impact on hospital performance and undesirable patient outcomes. As cancellations and delays are common, finding measures to prevent them is a matter of urgency.

METHODS

The present systematic review conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook. Peer-reviewed studies reporting on cancellations or delays in patients requiring emergency orthopaedic or planned orthopaedic surgery that compared care action/intervention with no action or traditional care were included. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation used to assess the quality of evidence of the results from the included studies. The objective of the present study was systematically to search and review the literature for qualitative evidence of factors that might reduce cancellations of and delays to orthopaedic surgical procedures.

RESULTS

The electronic search yielded 1209 studies and eight articles were included in the performed quality assessment. The heterogeneity of the studies and the lack of calculations and statistics in the studies resulted in no meta-analysis. The result of the quality assessment indicated that the evidence ranked from low to very low across the different outcomes. The main limiting factor, which was the reason for a decrease in quality in some outcomes, was the study designs, which were non-randomised control or retrospective approach. The interventions in the included studies could help to support a reduction in the risk of cancelled and delayed orthopaedic procedures.

CONCLUSION

This systematic literature review has revealed important evidence to help reduce the risk of cancelled and delayed orthopaedic procedures associated with a variety of care action exposures. They include a fast-track pathway, pre-operative guidelines and telephone contact with patients prior to surgery, as well as careful consideration of additional pre-operative tests.

Preoperative psychogenic fever: to operate or not to operate

Postponing elective surgery because of fever on the morning of the operation is frustrating for patients as well as doctors. It is also not cost effective and the unused operation capacity could have been used on other patients. On the other hand, surgery and general anaesthesia will put unwanted physiological strain on a patient fighting an on-going infection. Preoperative fever therefore poses a dilemma; to proceed with-, or to postpone the scheduled operation.

We report a case where a 58-year-old woman, scheduled for prophylactic bilateral mastectomy and primary implant-based reconstruction, was postponed because of a temperature of 37.9°C. The morning of her new operation date, she developed a fever of 39.2°C which fell to 38.2°C shortly after administration of 0.25 mg triazolam. She was diagnosed with psychogenic fever, and we went through with the operation, even though the patient was febrile. The operation was successful, and she had no post-operative complications.

Frequency and causes of suspension of gynecological surgeries and patient satisfaction: Hospital III EsSalud, Lima-Perú

OBJECTIVE

To describe the frequency of gynecological surgery cancellation as well as the factors leading up to cancellation, and to examine how patients perceive this situation.

METHODS

Case series including patients over 18 years of age scheduled for gynecological surgery due to benign conditions whose surgery was cancelled in a general referral hospital in Lima, Peru, between June 2019 and March 2020. Baseline characteristics of the patients and the reasons for cancellation were assessed, and the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (PSQ-18) tool was administered. Descriptive analysis.

RESULTS

The study included 84 patients. During the study period, the frequency of surgery cancellations was 11 %. Medical reasons were the main factor for surgery suspension, at 46.5 %; administrative causes accounted for 36.6 % of the cancellations, due mainly to lack of operation time in 25.4 %. In terms of satisfaction, 21,4 % of the patients were satisfied with the cancellation.

CONCLUSIONS

Good communication with patients whose surgery needs to be cancelled is essential. Further studies that look into this problem in our region are required.

Surgery cancellation: A scoping review of patients' experiences

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To review the literature on patients' experiences of surgery cancellation to gain knowledge of nursing care needs and identify gaps in evidence.

BACKGROUND

Surgery cancellations are an ongoing challenge in healthcare systems with negative impacts on healthcare costs, hospital staff and patients. Most research addresses the reasons for cancellation and implementation of preventive interventions, but limited knowledge exists about patients' experiences of cancellation.

DESIGN

The scoping review was undertaken using the methodology recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute for Scoping Reviews and the Reporting Cheklist for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted by two independent researchers in Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PubMed and PsycINFO. A forward and backward citation search was performed in Scopus, and references in relevant studies were explored. The tool Covidence was applied to select, compare and discuss relevant articles. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used for critical appraisal.

RESULTS

Surgery cancellation is emotionally harmful with negative effects on patients. Four themes were identified: 'Initial reactions to cancellation', 'Reactions during a new waiting period at home and during readmission to hospital', 'Information about cancellation' and 'The experience of new practical arrangements'. Patients whose surgery was cancelled experienced initial feelings such as anger, rejection and anxiety and physical/psychosomatic symptoms in the extended waiting period. Patients prefered early sufficient information about cancellation from the surgeon. The practical arrangements were stressfull for the patients.

CONCLUSION

Nursing care and identification of vulnerable patients are essential to prevent negative effects in the extended waiting period. Provision of timely, sufficient and professional information about cancellation from the surgeon is important. Further research assessing consequences of cancellation is needed.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Patients would benefit if hospitals find systems to minimise cancellation, and healthcare professionals could systematically develop professional supportive interventions tailored to patients' individual needs.

Rational performance metrics for operating theatres, principles of efficiency, and how to achieve it

BACKGROUND

Several performance metrics are commonly used by National Health Service (NHS) organizations to measure the efficiency and productivity of operating lists. These include: start time, utilization, cancellations, number of operations and gap time between operations. The authors describe reasons why these metrics are flawed, and use clinical evidence and mathematics to define a rational, balanced efficiency metric.

METHODS

A narrative review of literature on the efficiency and productivity of elective NHS operating lists was undertaken. The aim was to rationalize how best to define and measure the efficiency of an operating list, and describe strategies to achieve it.

RESULTS

There is now a wealth of literature on how optimally to measure the performance of elective surgical lists. Efficiency may be defined as the completion of all scheduled operations within the allocated time with no over- or under-runs.

CONCLUSION

Achieving efficiency requires appropriate scheduling using specific procedure mean (or median) times and their associated variance (standard deviation or interquartile range) to calculate the probability they can be completed on time. The case mix may be adjusted to yield better time management. This review outlines common misconceptions applied to managing scheduled operating theatre lists and the challenges of measuring unscheduled operations in emergency settings.

Operating in a Pandemic: Lessons and Strategies from an Orthopaedic Unit at the Epicenter of COVID-19 in Singapore

➤With severe limitations in manpower, facilities, and equipment, and the concern for nosocomial transmission, operating in a pandemic is fraught with danger from multiple fronts. ➤Strategies to mitigate nosocomial spread include prioritization of existing patients, triaging and treatment of new patient encounters, infection control protocols, perioperative considerations, manpower management, and novel strategies for interdisciplinary interaction and education. ➤The decision to proceed with or postpone surgery should be based on the urgency of the surgical procedure and the physiological health of the patient. ➤When performing an operation on a patient who has suspected or confirmed infection with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), personal protection equipment should include hair covers, face shields or goggles, N95 respirator masks, a blood-borne pathogen-resistant surgical gown, shoe covers, and double-gloving with single-use gloves. ➤Loose-fitting, powered air-purifying respirators should be considered for prolonged surgeries. ➤An astutely formulated and comprehensive business continuity plan is an orthopaedic unit’s best strategy for maintaining critical standards, discipline, and morale in severe and prolonged outbreaks.

Prevalence and Predictors of Cancellation of Elective Surgical Procedures at a Tertiary Hospital in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction. The cancellation of elective procedures has been shown to waste resources and to have the potential to increase morbidity and mortality among patients. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the cancellation of elective surgical procedures and to identify the factors associated with these cancellations at Mulago Hospital, a large public hospital in Kampala, Uganda.

User experience and satisfaction with specialty consultations and surgical care in secondary and tertiary level hospitals in Mexico

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the association between user experience and satisfaction with specialty consultations and surgical care at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) secondary and tertiary level hospitals.

METHODS

We conducted secondary data analysis of the cross-sectional 2017 IMSS National Satisfaction Survey. The dependent variables were user satisfaction with outpatient consultation and with surgery. The study's independent variables were user experience with these services. The Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems in the Sustainable Development Era framework was used to guide the analysis. For each dependent variable a double-weighted Poisson regression model with robust variance was performed and considered clustering of the observations within 111 secondary level and 25 tertiary level hospitals.

RESULTS

The study included 6713 outpatient consultation users and 528 surgery users. 83% of users attending outpatient consultations and 86.6% of users who underwent inpatient surgery at IMSS hospitals were satisfied with the service received. The common patient negative experiences with specialty consultations and surgical care were long waiting time (40%) and lack of hospital cleanliness (20%). An additional concern was the lack of clinical examination during the consultation (25%). Shorter waiting times, health provider courtesy, good communication, clinical examination, and hospital cleanliness were associated with patient satisfaction with specialty consultations. Having the surgery without prior postponement(s) and without complications increased the probability of patient satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Patient satisfaction with hospital outpatient consultations and surgical care may be raised by focusing on improvement strategies to enhance positive patient experiences with care.

Same-Day Cancellation in Ambulatory Surgery: A Retrospective Review at a Large Academic Tertiary Referral Center

Although ambulatory surgery offers patients convenience and reduced costs, same-day cancellation of ambulatory surgery negatively affects patient experiences and operational efficiency. We conducted a retrospective analysis to determine the frequency and reasons for same-day cancellations in an outpatient surgery center at a large academic tertiary referral center. Of 41 389 ambulatory surgical procedures performed, same-day cancellations occurred at a rate of 0.5% and were usually unforeseeable in nature. Focusing on foreseeable cancellations offers opportunities for enhanced patient satisfaction, improved quality of care, and systems-based practice improvements to mitigate cancellations related to areas such as scheduling or patient noncompliance.

Combining regression trees and panel regression for exploring and testing the impact of complementary management practices on short-notice elective operation cancellation rates

Variation in the performance of providers across healthcare systems is pervasive. It is recognised as both a major concern and an opportunity for learning and improvement. Variation between providers is broadly considered to be due to management practices and contextual factors such as catchment-area demographics. However, there is little understanding of the ways in which these impact on performance and how they can be measured. We use recent developments in both regression trees and panel regression techniques to explore and then statistically test complementary alignments of management practices whilst taking into account contextual factors. We apply this to 5 years of NHS hospital trust data, examining performance on short-notice cancellation rates. We find that different alignments of management practices give rise to quite different short-notice cancellation rates between trusts, with some being substantially lower. Our research offers a data-driven approach for identifying optimal clusters of management practices.

Cancellation of Surgeries: Integrative Review

PURPOSE

To analyze cancellations of surgeries and identify evidence-based interventions to address this issue.

DESIGN

Integrative literature review.

METHODS

An integrative literature search was conducted in four databases: CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane and included literature sources dated January 2011 to January 2016. The complete list of search terms consisted of the following: ambulatory surgery, day surgery center, elective surgical procedure, elective operation, elective surgery, schedule, access to care, surgery cancellation, operation cancellation, and surgery delay.

FINDINGS

Twenty-three literature sources were identified. Evidence included one randomized controlled trial and multiple studies. Causes of cancellations were classified into three categories: hospital-related reasons, patient-related reasons, and surgeon-related reasons. Evidence confirmed most cancellations were avoidable.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancellation of scheduled surgeries has a significant impact on patients' health, resources, cost, and quality of care. It is difficult to devise a solution without understanding the cause of cancellations.

Incidence and root causes of delays in emergency orthopaedic procedures: a single-centre experience of 36,017 consecutive cases over seven years

Background

Emergency surgery is unplanned by definition and patients are scheduled for surgery with minimal preparation. Some patients who have sustained emergency orthopaedic trauma or other conditions must be operated on immediately or within a few hours, while others can wait until the hospital’s resources permit and/or the patients’ health status has been optimised as needed. This may affect the prioritisation procedures for both emergency and elective surgery and might result in waiting lists, not only for planned procedures but also for emergencies.

Method

The main purpose of this retrospective, observational, single-centre study was to evaluate and describe for the number and reasons of delays, as well as waiting times in emergency orthopaedic surgery using data derived from the hospital’s records and registers. All the emergency patients scheduled for emergency surgery whose procedures were rescheduled and delayed between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2013 were studied.

Result

We found that 24% (8474) of the 36,017 patients scheduled for emergency surgeries were delayed and rescheduled at least once, some several times. Eighty per cent of these delays were due to organisational causes. Twenty-one per cent of all the delayed patients had surgery within 24 h, whilst 41% waited for more than 24 h, up to 3 days.

Conclusion

A large number of the clinic’s emergency orthopaedic procedures were rescheduled and delayed and the majority of the delays were related to organisational reasons. The results can be interpreted in two ways; first, organisational reasons are avoidable and the potential for improvement is great and, secondly and most importantly, the delays might negatively affect patient outcomes.

Investigating consistent patterns of variation in short-notice cancellations of elective operations: The potential for learning and improvement through multi-site evaluations

As part of efforts to increase productivity in healthcare, there is considerable interest in the extent and causes of variation in the performance of provider organisations. In this study, we use publically available data from the English NHS to examine the characteristics of variation in the rates of short-notice cancellations of elective operations due to hospital reasons (e.g. lack of the required resources such as operating theatres and beds). We find that the variation between hospital trusts is very non-random. There is a fourfold difference in the cancellation rates between the top and bottom deciles of performance. Little is known about the causes of this. There is a large and striking consistency in the relative performance of hospital trusts on cancellation rates over the last five years. Thus, the best and worst performers are consistently relatively very good or very poor, so a multi-site comparison of practices, and accounting for confounds like patient demographics, could be very valuable to inform both this knowledge gap and practice in healthcare. Of particular interest is that the cancellation rates could be a symptom of deeper issues with the efficiency of patient flows within hospitals.

A Literature Review on Validated Simulations of the Surgical Services

The surgical department is a critical unit that oversees multiple surgical-based clinical pathways and works with various other units in a hospital. This department faces numerous challenges relating to variability in demand and management of resources. The aim of this article is to review the application of validated simulation models on hospital-wide surgical services. Each of these models is broadly classified by (i) simulation method and (ii) level of detail given to the management of "patient pathways" and "staff workflows". We remark that very few studies have given attention to the management of staff workflows in their validated simulation models.

Patients' Experiences of Support while Waiting for Cardiac Surgery. A Critical Incident Technique Analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients waiting for cardiac surgery experience the period from decision about surgery to the operation as long, heavy and dreary.

AIMS

The aim was to describe patients' experiences of support in the form of important events during the waiting period.

METHODS

The design was qualitative and the 'critical incident' technique was used. Incidents were collected via interviews with 26 patients waiting for heart surgery. The selection of patients was strategic.

RESULTS

In all, 223 important events, both positive and negative, were identified in the interviews and two main areas emerged in the analysis: internal factors and external factors. Internal factors describe how an experience of support was influenced by changes in life style and by finding strength from within. External factors describe how experiences of support was influenced by being allowed to participate in care management, by receiving attention, as well as by the health care organisation and the social network.

CONCLUSION

By identifying factors that influence patients' experiences of support while they wait for heart surgery, institutional and non-institutional health-care services can improve the organisation of the entire health care process, and develop patient-focused support programmes.

Analysis of 43 Intraoperative Cardiac Surgery Case Cancellations

OBJECTIVE

Late cancellation of surgery cases imposes significant emotional distress on the patient and their family and results in wasted resources, including loss of operating room and personnel time. This study was designed to determine the causes of cancellation, preventability, total operating room time, and postoperative destination.

DESIGN

This study was a retrospective review of the 43 cardiac surgical cases that were cancelled while the patient was in the operating room (OR) but prior to surgical incision.

SETTING

The cases were performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-three out of 5,110 scheduled cardiac cases were identified that were cancelled after the patient had entered the operating room between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2013.

INTERVENTIONS

No interventions were made. This was a retrospective study.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The most common causes of cancellation included a change in the patient's health status (44%), problems associated with central catheter placement (18.6%), and unsatisfactory donor organs for planned transplantation (12%). The majority were inpatients (65%) prior to the procedure. The cumulative OR time for all cancelled cases was 5,374 minutes (89 hours and 34 minutes).

CONCLUSIONS

The reason for cancellation, preventability, total operating room time, and postoperative destination were determined. The information can be utilized to decrease the number of future cancellations.

Conceptualising time before surgery: the experience of patients waiting for hip replacement

Interpretations of time underlie patients' experiences of illness and the way in which the National Health Service (NHS) is organised. In the NHS, achieving short waiting times for treatment is seen as important, and this is particularly evident in relation to chronic conditions where the time waiting in care from onset of symptoms to successful management can last months and years. One example of a chronic condition with high prevalence is osteoarthritis, estimated to affect 10% of people aged over 55 years in the UK. Osteoarthritis of the hip is particularly common, and treatments include exercise and medication. If these options do not provide enough relief from pain and functional difficulties, then joint replacement may be considered. With over 70,000 such operations conducted every year in England and Wales, processes relating to waiting times impact on many patients. This article explores how 24 patients with osteoarthritis experience time during the lead up to hip replacement surgery. We draw on data collected during longitudinal in-depth interviews with patients a median of 9.5 days before surgery and at two to four weeks post-operatively. Transcripts of audio-recorded interviews were imported into Atlas.ti^® and inductive thematic analysis undertaken. Increasing pain and deterioration in function altered the experience of time during the journey towards hip replacement. Patients made essential changes to how they filled their days. They experienced lost and wasted time and faced disruption to the temporal order of their lives. A surgical date marked in the calendar became their focus. However, this date was not static, moving because of changing perceptions of duration and real-time alterations by the healthcare system. Findings highlight that patients' experience of time is complex and multi-dimensional and does not reflect the linear, monochronic conceptualisation of time embedded in the healthcare system.

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Waiting for hip replacement disrupts the temporal order of patients' lives.

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Patients' perceptions of time are multi-dimensional and complex.

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Experiences of time differ from health services' monochronic construction of time.

Incidence and root causes of cancellations for elective orthopaedic procedures: a single center experience of 17,625 consecutive cases

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the Swedish public health-care system is to provide care on equal terms for all citizens. In this, as in most other systems where taxes and/or insurances pay for most of the care, normal market forces are set aside at least in part. At times, this has, for example, resulted in long waiting lists, particularly in terms of elective orthopaedic surgery, with several negative consequences, such as cancellations of planned surgery.

METHODS

The main purpose of this retrospective observational single center study was to evaluate and describe the number and reasons for cancellations in elective orthopaedic surgery. Studied were all the elective patients scheduled for joint replacement, arthroscopy and foot & ankle surgery, January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2011, whose procedure was cancelled at least once.

RESULTS

Of all 17,625 patients scheduled for elective surgery 6,911 (39%) received at least one, some several cancellations. The most common reason for cancelling a planned surgery was different patient-related factors 3,293 (33%). Cancellations due to treatment guarantee legislation reached 2,885 (29%) and 1,181 (12%) of the cancellations were related to incomplete pre-operative preparation of the patients. Organisational reasons were the cause of approximately 869 (9%) of the cancellations.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study of patients waiting for elective orthopaedic surgery 6,911(39%) had their surgical procedure cancelled at least once, some several times. It appears that it should be possible to eliminate many of these cancellations, while others are unavoidable or caused by factors outside the responsibility of the individual clinic or even hospital. One possible way of influencing the high rate of cancellations might be to change the view of the patients and involve them in the overall planning of the care process.

Same-day cancellation of cardiac surgery: a retrospective review at a large academic tertiary referral center

BACKGROUND

Same-day cancellations of cardiac surgery are unfortunate and costly occurrences that potentially place patients at risk of adverse events.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all same-day cancellations of cardiac operations requiring cardiopulmonary bypass from 2010 to 2012 at a large academic tertiary referral center.

RESULTS

Of 7081 cardiac operations, 134 patients experienced 142 same-day cancellations of cardiac surgery. The foreseeable cancellation causes comprised 17% of cancellations, nonforeseeable 59%, and indeterminate 24%. The reasons for cancellation were medical (51%), administrative or scheduling (17%), unknown (12%), procedure no longer required (11%), patient cancellation (6%), and preincisional complication (3%). The mean interval from the patient seeing a nonsurgeon provider to cancellation was 8.6 ± 16.2 days. No statistically significant differences existed between the foreseeable and nonforeseeable cancellations and the timing of the visit to a nonsurgeon provider (15, 30, 45, and 60 days) before cancellation. Seven patients (5%) had died within 30 days of cancellation. Of those subsequently operated on, the mean interval from cancellation to performance of the operation was 12.2 ± 22.7 days. Of the 142 cancelled surgical procedures, 28 (20%) were never subsequently performed.

CONCLUSIONS

Same-day cancellation of cardiac surgery occurred infrequently (2% of cardiac operations performed) at our institution. The cancellations were for foreseeable causes in a few cases. Seeing a nonsurgeon provider more recently before cancellation was not significantly associated with nonforeseeable versus foreseeable cancellations. Although uncommon at our institution, same-day cancellations should be viewed as an opportunity for practice improvement, given the foreseeable nature of some cancelations, associated 30-day mortality, and portion of patients not subsequently undergoing cardiac surgery.

Patient experiences with interventions to reduce surgery cancellations: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

The cancellation of planned surgery harms patients, increases waiting times and wastes scarce health resources. Previous studies have evaluated interventions to reduce cancellations from medical and management perspectives; these have focused on cost, length of stay, improved efficiency, and reduced post-operative complications. In our case a hospital had experienced high cancellation rates and therefore redesigned their pathway for elective surgery to reduce cancelations. We studied how patients experienced interventions to reduce cancellations.

METHODS

We conducted a comparative, qualitative case study by interviewing 8 patients who had experienced the redesigned pathway, and 8 patients who had experienced the original pathway. We performed a content analysis of the interviews using a theory-based coding scheme. Through a process of coding and condensing, we identified themes of patient experience.

RESULTS

We identified three common themes summarizing patients' positive experiences with the effects of the interventions: the importance of being involved in scheduling time for surgery, individualized preparation before the hospital admission, and relationships with few clinicians during their hospital stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients appreciated the effects of interventions to reduce cancellations, because they increased their autonomy. Unanticipated consequences were that the telephone reminder created a personalized dialogue and centralization of surgical preparation and discharge processes improved continuity of care. Thus apart from improving surgical logistics, the pathway became more patient-centered.

Why are thoracic operations postponed?

Aim

To investigate and present the reasons that cause the postponement of thoracic surgical operations.

Methods

We retrospectively included in the study all patients submitted to elective thoracic surgery in our department during the 4-year period 2007-2010 and noted all cases of postponement after official inclusion in the operating schedule.

Results

81 out of a total of 542 patients (14.9%) scheduled for elective thoracic operation had their procedure postponed. The reasons were mainly organisatory (in 42 cases, 51.85%), which in order of significance were: shortage in matching erythrocyte units, shortage in anaesthetic/nursing staff and unavailability in operating rooms. The rest of the cases (39, 48.1%) were postponed due to medical reasons, which in descending order of significance were: respiratory infections and exacerbations of COPD, cardiological problems, misregulation of antiplatelet/antithrombotic drugs and infections from other systems (gastrointestinal, urinary, etc.). Elderly male patients planned for major/oncologic surgery were most possible to have their operation postponed for medical reasons.

Discussion-Conclusions

Thoracic operations are postponed owed to organisatory as well as medical reasons, the latter mainly affecting elderly, morbid patients awaiting for major/oncologic surgery.

Why are heart operations postponed?

Aim

To investigate the reasons that lead to postponement of cardiac operations, in order to elucidate the problem and help patients through modes of prevention.

Methods-Design

We retrospectively included in the study all patients submitted to elective adult heart surgery in our department during the 4-year period 2007-2010 and noted all cases of postponement after official inclusion in the operating schedule.

Results

94 out of a total of 575 patients (16.34%) scheduled for elective cardiac operation had their procedure postponed. The reasons were mainly organisatory (in 49 cases, 52.12%), which in order of significance were: unavailability in operating rooms, shortage in matching erythrocyte units and shortage in anaesthetic/nursing staff. The rest of the cases (45, 47.88%) were postponed due to medical reasons, which in order of significance were: febrile situations, including infections of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and urinary system, problems with the regulation of antiplatelet and antithrombotic drugs, neurological manifestations such as stroke and transient ischaemic attacks, exacerbation of asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arrhythmias, renal problems and allergic reactions to drugs. Patients with advanced age and increased Euroscore values were most possible to have their heart operation postponed.

Conclusions

Heart operations are postponed due to organisatory as well as medical reasons, the latter mainly affecting older, morbid patients who therefore require advanced preoperative care.

Cancellations of elective surgery may cause an inferior postoperative course: the ‘invisible hand’ of health-care prioritization?

Elective surgery can be cancelled when resources are overwhelmed by emergency cases. We hypothesized that such cancellations, on psychological grounds, are followed also by inferior clinical results and we conducted a retrospective survey of patients following joint replacement surgery. Sixty patients having suffered from administrative cancellation prior to their operation during an 18-month period and with six months follow-up were identified and compared with another 60 matched patients after having the same type of surgery but without prior cancellation. All patients received questionnaires on complications and on visual analogue scale (VAS) assessment on subjective wellbeing and quality of life (QoL) at follow-up. The study group reported 50 complications versus 33 for controls ( P < 0.03). A borderline significant difference was found for myocardial infarction, 4 versus 0 ( P < 0.05). There was no difference in VAS registration and QoL measurements did not quite reach statistical significance ( P = 0.06). Cancellations (postponements) of elective surgery for administrative reasons may be followed by inferior clinical results, and this merits further prospective study.

Approach and avoidance coping and regulatory focus in patients having coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is stressful, and the patient's coping affects recovery and outcome. The aim of the study was to identify patients' thoughts and concerns, and explore the relevance of approach/avoidant coping and Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT). Nine patients were interviewed, using an interpretative phenomenological approach. The patients made use of various avoidant (e.g. neglecting symptoms, delaying help-seeking, avoiding thoughts) and approach strategies (e.g. persistent search for the diagnosis, mental preparation for surgery). RFT versus approach/avoidant coping is discussed. RFT may contribute to our understanding of motivational cognitions in patients' coping with illness and treatment.

Patterns and frequency of anxiety in women undergoing gynaecological surgery

AIMS

Within a gynaecological surgical setting to identify the patterns and frequency of anxiety pre- and postoperatively; to identify any correlation between raised anxiety levels and postoperative pain; to identify events, from the patients' perspective, that may increase or decrease anxiety in the pre- and postoperative periods.

BACKGROUND

It is well documented that surgery is associated with increased anxiety, which has an adverse impact on patient outcomes. Few studies have been conducted to obtain the patient's perspective on the experience of anxiety and the events and situations that aggravate and ameliorate it.

METHOD

The study used a mixed method approach. The sample consisted of women undergoing planned gynaecological surgery. Anxiety was assessed using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Trait anxiety was measured at the time of recruitment. State anxiety was then assessed at six time points during the pre- and postoperative periods. Postoperative pain was also measured using a 10 cm visual analogue scale. Taped semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted approximately a week after discharge.

RESULTS

State anxiety rose steadily from the night before surgery to the point of leaving the ward to go to theatre. Anxiety then increased sharply prior to the anaesthetic decreasing sharply afterwards. Patients with higher levels of trait anxiety were more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety throughout their admission. Elevated levels of pre- and postoperative anxiety were associated with increased levels of postoperative pain. Telephone interviews revealed a range of events/situations that patients recalled distressing them and many were related to inadequate information.

CONCLUSION

This study found higher rates of anxiety than previously reported and anxiety levels appeared raised before admission to hospital. This has important clinical and research implications.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Patients with high levels of anxiety may be identified preoperatively and interventions designed to reduce anxiety could be targeted to this vulnerable group. Patient experiences can inform the delivery of services to meet their health needs better.

The Auburn Elective Surgery Pilot Project

BACKGROUND

The aim of this project was to increase rates of day surgery, reduce elective surgical waiting lists, give patients a guaranteed date of surgery and improve operating theatre utilization. The guiding principle behind the project was to treat the administration of elective surgery as a separate business unit, distinct from emergency surgery.

METHODS

Elective surgical referrals for admission from throughout the Western Sydney Health Area Service were pooled. The procedure for surgical admissions was altered in three areas: (i) the use of a new booking and waiting list system administered by a dedicated nurse coordinator who generated the lists for surgery; (ii) restructuring the elective surgical operating sessions; and (iii) planning post-discharge care at the time of operation using model clinical pathways.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

During the project period, the number of the selected surgical procedures performed doubled. Fifty-seven per cent of patients were discharged on the day of surgery. Surgeons took less time to perform procedures. By the end of the trial period, waiting lists for the selected procedures were eliminated. Operating costs as evaluated by the Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation were reduced by 25%. The administrative changes to surgical admissions resulted in improved cost and patient throughput for elective surgical admissions with no adverse patient outcomes.