Reasons for cancellation of elective operations at a major teaching referral hospital in Jordan
M Mesmar1, N J Shatnawi, I Faori
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdullah University Hospital, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Insights
Elective surgery cancellations in Jordan occurred at a 3.6% rate, with patient non-attendance and bed unavailability being key reasons. Improving hospital bed utilization can reduce these costly surgical delays.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Surgical Operations Management
- Healthcare Efficiency
Background:
- Elective surgical cancellations disrupt operating room schedules and waste resources.
- Understanding cancellation rates and reasons is crucial for optimizing hospital operations.
- Previous studies highlight variations in cancellation factors across different healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and primary causes of elective surgical cancellations.
- To analyze patient-related, administrative, and medical reasons for cancellations.
- To identify potential interventions for reducing surgical cancellations in a Jordanian teaching hospital.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, records-based study was conducted over 12 months.
- Data were collected on all scheduled elective surgical operations.
- Cancellations were categorized by type (day unit vs. inpatient) and reason.
Main Results:
- A total of 3.6% (382 out of 10,485) of scheduled elective operations were cancelled.
- Inpatient cancellations (72.5%) were more frequent than day unit cancellations (27.5%).
- Key reasons included medical factors (38.2%), patient-related issues (31.4%, notably non-attendance), and administrative issues (30.4%, primarily lack of beds).
Conclusions:
- The overall cancellation rate is comparable to international benchmarks, but opportunities for improvement exist.
- Addressing patient non-attendance and improving hospital bed management are critical for reducing cancellations.
- Enhanced bed utilization strategies could significantly improve operating room efficiency and resource management.
Abstract:
Cancellation of elective scheduled operations leads to an inefficient use of operating room time and a waste of resources. This prospective records-based study aimed to determine the rate of and reasons for cancellations of scheduled elective surgical operations in a major teaching referral hospital in Jordan. Over a period of 12 months, cancellation was recorded in 382 (3.6%) of 10 485 scheduled elective surgical operations. Day unit cancellations accounted for 27.5% and inpatient cancellations for 72.5%. Patient-related reasons, administrative and medical reasons accounted for 31.4%, 30.4% and 38.2% of all cancelled operations respectively. The most common patient-related reason for cancellation was patient non-attendance. The most common administrative reason for cancellations was unavailability of hospital admission beds. Although the cancellation rate was low in comparison with the reported rates worldwide, reductions might be achieved by adopting some important interventions, especially better bed utilization.
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