Journal article
Improving intraoperative handoffs for ambulatory anesthesia: challenges and solutions for the anesthesiologist
Local and Regional Anesthesia, Vol.12, pp.37-46
2019
DOI: 10.2147/LRA.S183188
PMID: 31213889
Abstract
Permanent transitions of care from one anesthesia provider to another are associated with adverse events and mortality. There are currently no available data on how to mitigate these poor patient outcomes other than to reduce the occurrence of such handoffs. We used data from an ambulatory surgery center to demonstrate the steps that can be taken to achieve this goal. First, perform statistical forecasting using many months of historical data to create optimal, as opposed to arbitrary shift durations. Second, consider assigning the anesthesia providers designated to work late, if necessary, to the ORs estimated to finish the earliest, rather than latest. We performed multiple analyses showing the quantitative advantage of this strategy for the ambulatory surgery center with multiple brief cases. Third, sequence the cases in the 1 or 2 ORs with the latest scheduled end times so that the briefest cases are finished last. If a supervising anesthesiologist needs to be relieved early for administrative duties (eg, head of the group to meet with administrators or surgeons), assign the anesthesiologist to an OR that finishes with several brief cases. The rationale for these recommendations is that such strategies provide multiple opportunities for a different anesthesia provider to assume responsibility for the patients between cases, thus avoiding a handoff altogether.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Improving intraoperative handoffs for ambulatory anesthesia: challenges and solutions for the anesthesiologist
- Creators
- Franklin Dexter - Division of Management Consulting, Department of Anesthesia, University of IowaBrian Mark Osman - Department of Anesthesiology, University of MiamiRichard H Epstein - Department of Anesthesiology, University of Miami
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Local and Regional Anesthesia, Vol.12, pp.37-46
- Publisher
- Dove
- DOI
- 10.2147/LRA.S183188
- PMID
- 31213889
- ISSN
- 1178-7112
- eISSN
- 1178-7112
- Copyright
- © 2019 Dexter et al. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2019
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy; Anesthesia
- Record Identifier
- 9983806283802771
Metrics
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