The Case for Improvement in Perioperative Medicine

ABSTRACT

Health care is undergoing major transformation with a shift from fee-for-service care to fee-for-value. Although there have been substantial advances in anesthesia care, perioperative complications and mortality after surgery remain a key concern. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical and procedural practices further highlights the urgency and need for an expanded role of perioperative medicine to impact system improvement. The surgical experience is frequently the first touchpoint to reengage the patient in their own health care. Some of the key interventions that are being effectively instituted by the anesthesiologists include proactive engagement in preoperative optimization of patient's health;personalization and standardization of care delivery by segmenting patients based on their complexity and risk;and implementation of best practices that are data-driven and evidence-based and provide structure that allow patients to return to their optimal state of functional, cognitive, and psychological health. Through collaborative relationships with other perioperative stakeholders, anesthesiologists can consolidate their role as clinical leaders driving value-based care and healthcare transformation in the best interests of our patients. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.