Implementation of outpatient preoperative evaluation clinics: facilitating and limiting factors.
BACKGROUND
Several studies have shown that outpatient preoperative evaluation by anaesthetists increases quality of care and is cost-effective. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the factors that positively or negatively influence the implementation of outpatient preoperative evaluation clinics (OPE clinics).


METHODS
After an extensive literature study and pilot interviews, we constructed written questionnaires that were sent to all Dutch hospitals. The respondents were members of the board of directors, members of the medical staff, anaesthetists, internists, and surgeons.


RESULTS
Cooperation of anaesthetists was most frequently mentioned as facilitating factor for implementation of an OPE clinic across all medical specialists interviewed. Lack of finance was most frequently reported as limiting factor in all categories of hospitals (with a complete, partial, or no OPE clinic), but it was significantly more often reported in hospitals without OPE clinic (P<0.01). Perceived benefits and disadvantages, financial rewarding system, and organizational structure played a clear role in the implementation of OPE clinics.


CONCLUSIONS
A variety of factors play a role in the implementation of an OPE clinic. Besides the more obvious ones, such as financing and cooperation of the professional groups involved, underlying factors, such as perceptions of the professionals involved, were found to be related to implementation of an OPE clinic. These underlying factors explain differences between different kinds of hospitals and between professional groups, regarding their resources and motivation to implement an OPE clinic.
Lemmens
L C
LC
Department of Perioperative and Emergency Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. l.lemmens@umcutrecht.nl
Kerkkamp
H E
HE
van Klei
W A
WA
Klazinga
N S
NS
Rutten
C L
CL
van Linge
R H
RH
Moons
K G
KG
D000761:Anesthesia Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000458:organization & administration; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009426:Netherlands; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires