Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A New Surgical Patient Flow Utilizing the Preoperative Evaluation Clinic.
Am J Med Qual
; 35(6): 444-449, 2020 12.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-692460
ABSTRACT
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the study institution recognized the importance of providing preoperative COVID-19 testing and symptom screening to ensure patient safety. A multidisciplinary quality improvement team used Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control methodology to understand the issues, identify solutions, and streamline patient flow. The existing preoperative evaluation (POE) clinic was utilized as a centralized entity to provide COVID-19 testing, symptom screening, and infection prevention education in addition to routine preoperative medical optimization. With the new process, the percentage of patients with COVID-19 testing results returned before surgery increased from 10% to 100%. Of the 593 asymptomatic patients screened by the POE clinic, 2 were found to have positive results. These patients had their surgeries postponed until proper recovery. The study institution has extended this new process to all surgical patients, warranting facility readiness for the resumption of elective surgery.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Elective Surgical Procedures
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Preoperative Period
/
Patient Safety
/
Betacoronavirus
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Am J Med Qual
Journal subject:
Health Services
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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