Comparing the organisational structure of the preoperative assessment clinic at eight university hospitals

The preoperative assessment clinic (PAC) has been implemented in most major hospitals. However, there is no uniformity in the way PACs are organised. We compared the organisational structure of the PACs from all eight university hospitals in The Netherlands, looking at the following variables: number of patients visiting the PAC, staffing of the PAC, opening hours, scheduling, and additional preoperative diagnostic testing. The number of patients seen yearly varies from 7.000 to 13.500. In all clinics, the preoperative assessment was performed by anaesthetists and residents. In five PACs, preoperative assessment was also performed by physician assistants or nurse practitioners. Opening hours varied. Consultations are by appointment, 'walk-in', or a combination of these two. In four clinics additional testing is performed at the PAC itself. This study shows that the organisational structure of the PAC at similar university hospitals varies greatly; this can have important implications when designing a benchmarking process.