Improving Orthopedic Documentation Using Post-Operative Note Proformas: A Quality Improvement Study

Accurate medical documentation is important in the perioperative period, ensuring the safe transfer of information between teams involved in the surgical patient's care. This has been highlighted by multiple standards of care guidelines within the United Kingdom. The use of standardized pre-templated documents has displayed significant success in minimizing errors during the admission and operative stages. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether a similar proforma for the post-operative stage is successful in orthopedic patients.

A retrospective review of 25 consecutive orthopedic elective patients was conducted during the first cycle. Exclusion criteria included patients who were under 16, day case procedures, and admission due to trauma. The second cycle consisted of a prospective review of 25 patients a month following the implementation of the new proforma. Both cycles were scored against 10 inclusion parameters as outlined by national guidelines.

Implementation of the proforma resulted in a significant improvement in post-operative note compliance. A total of six parameters showed a statistically significant improvement (p<0.05). This included wound assessment (58.3%-100%, p<0.001), post-operative imaging (37.5%-92%, p<0.001), neurovascular assessment (83.3%-100%, p=0.017), National Early Warning Score (25.0%-100%, p<0.001), venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (29.2%-96.0%, p<0.001), and antibiotic administration (4.2%-84.0%, p<0.001).

Monitoring of important clinical parameters significantly improved following the implementation of the post-operative proforma. These results will hopefully cause the introduction of other proformas in other surgical specialties and other units.