[Linear points system for prioritizing the waiting list in a general surgery service]

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Health Services Research
• Surgical Prioritization

Context:

• Waiting lists for general surgery services present challenges in equitable patient access.
• Developing objective prioritization systems is crucial for efficient resource allocation.
• Patient and surgeon preferences are key to designing effective prioritization tools.

Purpose:

• To design and validate a linear points system for prioritizing patients on general surgery waiting lists.
• To incorporate both clinical and non-clinical factors into a patient prioritization model.
• To ensure fairness and efficiency in accessing general surgery care.

Summary:

• A mixed-methods approach, including nominal groups and pretesting with general and professional populations, informed the system's design.
• Ordered logistic regression estimated model coefficients (system scores) based on ranked criteria and levels.
• The validated system includes five criteria, balancing clinical urgency with quality of life and social impact.

Impact:

• The developed points system offers a structured approach to improve equity in healthcare access.
• Incorporating social criteria alongside clinical factors aligns with a holistic definition of health.
• This prioritization model has the potential to reduce surgical waiting times and enhance patient outcomes.