Incidence and Reasons for a Surgical Cancellation at a Hospital in Rwanda

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Operations
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Surgery cancellations present significant challenges, leading to operating theatre inefficiency.
• These cancellations cause psychological and financial distress for patients and their families.
• Understanding cancellation rates and reasons is crucial for improving healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of surgical cancellations.
• To identify the primary reasons for surgery cancellations at a Rwandan hospital.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study analyzed 736 patient files from January to March 2017.
• The American Association of Perioperative Nurses (AORN) checklist was utilized.
• Frequency and percentage descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis.

Main Results:

• A total of 179 (24.3%) surgeries were cancelled out of 736 booked.
• Orthopedic and general surgeries had the highest cancellation rates (28.2%).
• Key reasons included time constraints/long lists (19.6%), acute medical status changes (10.6%), and patient non-attendance (8.4%).

Conclusions:

• The surgical cancellation rate was 24%, influenced by patient volume and procedure type.
• Mitigation strategies are needed to address common cancellation reasons.
• Prospective studies are recommended for deeper insights into preventable cancellations.