Are you scheduled for surgery soon? If so, you might be called up for a pre-anesthetic assessment.
A clinical study has shed some light on the effectiveness of these pre-anesthetic assessment clinics in improving patient safety and outcomes after surgery.
Pre-operative assessment is a crucial step in ensuring patient safety and optimizing outcomes. However, the traditional model of conducting a pre-anesthetic assessment on the day of surgery can lead to last-minute cancellations or delays due to unanticipated medical issues, incomplete investigations, or uncontrolled comorbidities. This is where the pre-anesthetic assessment (PAC) clinic comes in. PAC clinics allow for a more thorough and systematic evaluation of patients before their scheduled procedure.
Clinical Study
The clinical study looked at the impact of pre-anesthetic assessment clinics on the outcomes of patients undergoing surgery.The study was an analysis of 7 previously conducted clinical trials involving 77411 patients. Of these, 9626 patients attended PACs before surgery and were assigned to the intervention group while 15531 patients did not attend PACs and were assigned to the control group.
So, what did the researchers find? According to the clinical study, pre-anesthetic assessment clinics have a significant positive impact on several outcomes for patients undergoing surgery. These outcomes include a reduction in surgery cancellations, reduced length of hospital stay, and improved patient satisfaction with the overall surgical experience.
Out of the seven studies, three studies reported a significant reduction in the length of hospital stay and two studies reported a significant reduction in cancellation of surgery for medical reasons.
The study showed that one of the primary benefits of pre-anesthetic assessment clinics is that they help to identify patients who are at a higher risk of complications during and after surgery. By conducting a thorough assessment of each patient before surgery, clinicians can identify any underlying health conditions that could pose a risk during the procedure. Additionally, pre-anesthetic assessment clinics also help to optimize patient health before surgery. This can help to reduce the risk of complications during the procedure and improve overall outcomes for the patient.
Another significant benefit of pre-anesthetic assessment clinics is that they can help to reduce the number of surgery cancellations. By identifying potential issues before the day of the surgery, clinicians can address any concerns and make any necessary adjustments to the patient's care plan.
The clinical study also found that pre-anesthetic assessment clinics can help to reduce the length of hospital stay by optimizing patient health before the procedure and identifying any potential issues which could be resolved in a timely fashion.
Conclusion
Overall, the clinical study concludes that pre-anesthetic assessment clinics are an effective tool for improving outcomes for patients undergoing surgery. By identifying at-risk patients, optimizing patient health, and reducing surgery cancellations and hospital stays, these clinics can help to ensure that patients receive the best possible care and have the best possible outcomes. If you are scheduled for surgery soon, you may want to ask your healthcare provider about pre-anesthetic assessment clinics.__________
BMJ Journals, May-22