IMPROVING SURGICAL EFFICIENCY: STRATEGIES TO MINIMISE ELECTIVE GENERAL SURGERY CANCELLATIONS IN A HEALTHCARE SETTING
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Keywords
Elective Surgery, Cancellation, Quality Improvement, Patient Preparedness.
Abstract
Hospital general surgery electives show persistence as a major operational challenge because they produce inefficiencies together with higher expenses and diminished patient satisfaction ratings. A tertiary hospital served as the site where researchers studied the different causes leading to surgical cancelations. The six-month baseline evaluation indicated patients and system factors were responsible for most of the cancellations. During the intervention phase the clinic for preoperative assessment became operational and administrators activated automated reminder functions for patients combined with educational materials available in different languages and established frequent interdepartmental meetings. After implementing the intervention the rate of operations that could be postponed fell dramatically. Combined proactive work by multiple hospital disciplines produces efficient surgical treatment methods and enhanced patient preparation outcomes. Organizations that want to improve surgical services while minimizing waste can adopt this model to develop their practical approach.
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Dr. M. Viswa Bhushana Raghuveer
Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Bhaarath Medical College & Hospital, Chennai - 600073