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Involving the patient can free resources
1Department of Public Health Medicine, Forth Valley Health Board, Stirling.
Health Bulletin
|July 1, 1992
Summary
Implementing a patient-involved Diary Booking System in ENT surgery significantly reduced cancellations and no-shows, improving operating theatre efficiency and patient choice. This system enhanced the quality of surgical services offered.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Services Management
- Health Informatics
- Patient Engagement
Background:
- Patient involvement in scheduling can enhance service quality.
- Optimizing operating theatre utilization is crucial for healthcare efficiency.
- Existing scheduling systems may not fully meet patient needs or operational demands.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a Diary Booking System in ENT surgery.
- To assess the impact of patient-involved scheduling on theatre utilization.
- To measure changes in cancellations and patient attendance rates.
Main Methods:
- A trial was conducted in ENT surgery over six months (three months pre-implementation, three months post-implementation).
- Theatre schedules of one consultant using the Diary Booking System were analyzed.
- A control group (second consultant not using the system) was used to rule out confounding factors like seasonality.
Main Results:
- The Diary Booking System proved feasible for patient-involved theatre scheduling.
- Surgical cancellations decreased by 32%.
- Patient failures to attend decreased by 68%, and the number of operations per session increased by nearly one.
Conclusions:
- The Diary Booking System is a feasible and effective method for improving operating theatre efficiency.
- Patient involvement in scheduling enhances service quality and operational outcomes in ENT surgery.
- This system offers a potential solution for reducing wasted theatre time and increasing surgical throughput.