Using nurse-to-patient telephone calls to reduce day-of-surgery cancellations

Day-of-surgery cancellations are costly and frustrating for both the patient and the health care team. This is especially true in ambulatory surgical centers where it can be difficult to schedule a replacement procedure on short notice. Preoperative nurses at the University of North Carolina Health Care ambulatory surgical center were able to decrease the daily cancellation rate by 53%, increase patient satisfaction scores, and increase OR use by targeting three main reasons for cancellations during a preoperative telephone call. A nurse calls each patient three business days before the scheduled surgery and uses a script to communicate important preoperative information and to address any questions or concerns. The nurse then reports any new information or concerns he or she has learned from the telephone call to the scheduling clinic, anesthesia team, or the surgeon. These calls have resulted in major decreases in cancellations related to no shows, NPO requirements, and lack of a responsible adult present to drive the patient home.