[Patients hospitalized the day before operation are satisfied with outpatient preoperative evaluation system].
BACKGROUND
Recently, shortening of hospitalization has increased the number of hospitalization the day before operation in Japan. Appropriate preoperative anesthetic evaluation systems should be developed to maintain the same quality and efficiency of evaluation as for patients hospitalized earlier. Patient satisfaction is an important consideration in this program.


METHODS
We adopted an outpatient preoperative evaluation system for patients hospitalized the day before operation, using an original anesthesia application form, from November 2006. Forms containing multiple-choice questions regarding medical history and medications were completed by patients' doctors and submitted to us before evaluation. We examined the system use each month and conducted a survey using questionnaires on patient satisfaction in 42 patients using the system 8 months after its introduction.


RESULTS
The proportion of patients using the system among surgical patients increased from 8.9% to 45.2% in half a year. The application form yielded detailed information efficiently and enabled sufficient preoperative management. In the questionnaire survey, 94.1% of the patients were satisfied with our new system due to early understanding and anxiety reduction, reduction of burden after hospitalization, and appropriate preoperative management.


CONCLUSIONS
Our new system enabled improvement in quality and efficiency of perioperative management and increase in patient satisfaction in preoperative evaluation for hospitalization the day before operation.
Tanaka
Masuji
M
Department of Anesthesiology, Kansai Denryoku Hospital, Osaka 553-0003.
Nakasuji
Masato
M
Imanaka
Norie
N
Higuchi
Mariko
M
Nomura
Masataka
M
Kawashima
Hiroko
H
D000758:Anesthesia / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires