The analysis for the causes of surgical cancellations in a Brazilian university hospital.
BACKGROUND
The aim of our study is to quantify the occurrence of suspension of scheduled surgeries in a Brazilian university hospital, trying to identify the causes of suspension of these operations and meet the medical specialties that most contributed to the cancellation.


METHODS
This study takes the form of an exploratory, descriptive, and quantitative enquiry carried out by analyzing the database from 2008 to 2011 of the operating theater.


RESULTS
Of the 29,518 scheduled surgeries, 16.1% were cancelled. The patient was the main reason, accounting for more than 40% of all suspensions. When calculating the rate of surgery suspended from a specialty, dividing the number of cancelled surgeries in a specialty by the number of scheduled surgeries in the same, we found that otolaryngology is the specialty with the highest rate of 21.3%.


CONCLUSIONS
One of the main reasons in our sample why surgeries were cancelled is nonappearance of the patient. Improving communication between patient and hospital facilitates the client program and also contributes to avoid cancellations.
Josiane Harumi
JH
Cihoda
Jessika Rojo
JR
Alves
Luciano Augusto
LA
Fernandes
Edmundo Pereira
EP
de Souza Neto
D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001938:Brazil; D003142:Communication; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*