Preoperative Anesthesia Virtual Video Consultations in a Preadmission Clinic: Quality Improvement Study

Area of Science:

• Perioperative Medicine
• Health Services Research
• Digital Health

Background:

• Preadmission clinics (PAC) are vital for preoperative patient assessment and optimization.
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated virtual care adoption, yet PACs often lacked video consultation infrastructure.
• This study addresses the gap in integrating video consultations within the PAC setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, implement, and integrate preoperative video consultations into the existing PAC workflow.
• To enhance patient access to preoperative evaluations and education through virtual means.
• To optimize the PAC's service delivery model using digital health solutions.

Main Methods:

• A prospective quality improvement project utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology.
• Systematic data collection to monitor video consultation rates and patient flow.
• Analysis of communication pathways and streamlining of technological processes for seamless video calls.

Main Results:

• Video consultation utilization increased progressively through PDSA cycles, reaching 38% by later stages.
• Sustained high utilization rates were maintained throughout 2023, demonstrating successful integration.
• The multidisciplinary PAC team successfully adapted to incorporate virtual consultations into routine practice.

Conclusions:

• Quality improvement initiatives effectively enhanced the PAC's preoperative video consultation workflow.
• Strategic integration of virtual care technologies improved efficiency, morale, and safety in preoperative assessments.
• This project demonstrates the transformative potential of virtual care in modern healthcare delivery.