Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Perioperative Medicine
Date Submitted: Feb 20, 2024
Open Peer Review Period: May 2, 2024 - Jun 27, 2024
Date Accepted: Jul 6, 2024
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Preoperative Anesthesia Virtual Video Consultations in Preadmission Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project.
ABSTRACT
Background:
Background:
The preadmission clinic (PAC) is crucial in perioperative care, offering evaluations, education, and patient optimization before surgical procedures. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a surge in virtual care, including video appointments, as an alternative to traditional in-person consultations. Despite this trend, our PAC reported no utilization of video consultations in preoperative assessments.
Objective:
Objective:
This study aimed to develop, implement, and integrate preoperative video consultations into the PAC workflow.
Methods:
Methods:
A prospective quality improvement project was undertaken using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology. The project focused on developing, implementing, and integrating virtual video consultations in the PAC. Data were systematically collected to monitor the number of patients undergoing video consultations, address patient flow concerns, and increase the percentage of video consultations. Communication between PAC, surgeon offices, and patients was analyzed for continuous improvement. Technological challenges were addressed, and procedures were streamlined to facilitate video calls on appointment days.
Results:
Results:
Following the initial PDSA cycles, the interventions consistently improved this measure to a utilization rate of 17%, indicating positive progress. With the onset of PDSA cycle 3, there was a notable surge to 29% utilization in the early phase. This upward trend continued, culminating in a 38% utilization rate of virtual video consultations in the later stages of the cycle. This heightened level was consistently maintained throughout the entirety of 2023, underscoring the sustained success of our interventions.
Conclusions:
Conclusion: The quality improvement process significantly enhanced the institution's preoperative video consultation workflow. By understanding the complexities within the PAC, strategic interventions were made to integrate video consultations without compromising efficiency, morale, or safety. This project highlights the potential for transformative improvements in healthcare delivery through the thoughtful integration of virtual care technologies. Clinical Trial: Not applicable
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Copyright
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