[Health Council Report'Preoperative evaluation: reconsideration of basic assumptions]

In February 1997 the Health Council of the Netherlands published the report 'Preoperative evaluation'; it contains recommendations about the content and organization of preoperative evaluation. The aim is to reduce expenses and to increase efficiency. For a preoperative assessment of an otherwise healthy patient history taking and physical examination will do; minimal additional examination is necessary only in certain cases. Selective additional examination may be needed in patients showing signs of disease that may adversely affect the perioperative course; routine consultations of other specialists are redundant. The surgeon and the anaesthesiologist share the responsibility for the preoperative evaluation, but the anaesthesiologist collects the data. Outpatient facilities for anaesthesiologist contribute to improvement in quality. The report is well-documented; it deserves attention of the medical staff and implementation in the hospitals.