Implementing and evaluating a low-carbon, high-quality perioperative patient warming pathway

Intraoperative hypothermia can lead to adverse clinical outcomes and avoidable financial and environmental costs. Environmentally preferable warming practices have been identified, including using reusable resistive blankets, extending the life cycle of forced air warming (FAW) garments and minimising flannel blanket use. This study integrates existing environmental data with best practices and quality improvement methodology to develop an optimised patient warming pathway (OPWP). This pathway was adapted to our local context, implemented and evaluated.

The OPWP was developed using a scoping review, prior environmental impact assessment and root cause analysis. It was tailored to the workflows, patient population and warming practices at a tertiary care hospital and implemented using a multifaceted approach encompassing nine PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycles. Major interventions included expanding pre-warming criteria to meet best practice guidelines, preserving the FAW Flex Gown, staff education and training, behaviourally informed strategies, gamification and policy development. Pre-intervention and post-intervention audits assessed environmental and financial savings, incidence of hypothermia and patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

The OPWP recommends preferential use of the resistive blanket for intraoperative warming, preservation of the Flex Gown for postoperative use when warming with FAW and minimising flannel blanket use. A modified pathway was implemented using FAW with preservation of a single Flex Gown throughout the perioperative journey. From pre-intervention (N=51) to post-intervention (N=64), flannel blanket use decreased from an average of 6 to 3 per patient (p<0.01). Active warming increased from 55% to 80% (p=0.04) preoperatively and from 0% to 55% (p<0.01) postoperatively. There was no significant change in the incidence of hypothermia (18% to 15%, p=0.77) and PROs remained favourable. Implementation of this pathway could lead to annual environmental savings of 940 339 kg of carbon dioxide equivalents and cost savings of $C117 978.

This study demonstrates the successful implementation of an evidence-based and environmentally sustainable perioperative warming pathway to achieve low-carbon, high-quality patient care.