title: Fast-tracking ambulatory surgery patients following anesthesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this process improvement project was to introduce and evaluate the efficacy of fast-tracking ambulatory surgical patients in a community hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational pre-post design was used, in which patient data from a reference period (pre-fast-tracking) was compared with patient data collected during an implementation period (post-fast-tracking).
  
  
  METHODS
  Anesthesia providers were trained to use a tool to assess patients for eligibility to bypass the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). Fifty-nine patients met the fast-track criteria during the implementation period and were transferred directly to the ambulatory care unit from the operating room.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the fast-track implementation period, a PACU-bypass rate of 79% was achieved, and a significant decrease in the total number of patients held in the operating room and in total length of stay was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that fast-tracking is a suitable intervention to increase work flow efficiency and decrease both patient and hospital costs while promoting a more rapid discharge from the facility.
authors: Andi N
authors: AN
authors: Rice
authors: Virginia C
authors: VC
authors: Muckler
authors: Warren R
authors: WR
authors: Miller
authors: Charles A
authors: CA
authors: Vacchiano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D010351:Patient Discharge; D016528:Postanesthesia Nursing; D011997:Recovery Room; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: ambulatory surgery; anesthesia; fast-tracking; white fast-track score