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Decreasing delays in urgent and expedited surgery in a university teaching hospital through audit and communication between peri-operative and surgical directorates

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Christopher Snowden, Tim Lees

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Abstract

National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death guidelines for urgent surgery recommend a fully staffed emergency operating theatre and restriction of 'after-midnight' operating to immediate life-, limb- or organ-threatening conditions. Audit performed in our institution demonstrated significant decreases in waiting times for urgent surgery and an increased seniority of medical care associated with overnight pre-operative assessment of patients by anaesthetic trainees. Nevertheless, urgent cases continued to be delayed unnecessarily. A classification of delays was developed from existing guidelines and their incidence was audited. The results were disseminated to involved directorates. A repeat of the audit demonstrated a significant decrease in delays (p = 0.001), a significant increase in the availability of surgeons (p = 0.001) and a significant decrease in the median waiting time for urgent surgery compared to the first audit cycle and a previous standard (p

Publication metadata

Author(s): Cosgrove JF, Gaughan M, Snowden CP, Lees T

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Anaesthesia

Year: 2008

Volume: 63

Issue: 6

Pages: 599-603

ISSN (print): 0003-2409

ISSN (electronic): 1365-2044

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2044.2008.05441.x

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2008.05441.x

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