title: Cancellation of operations in Saudi Arabian hospitals: Frequency, reasons and suggestions for improvements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the frequency and reasons of operations cancellation in 25 Makkah region hospitals in Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective evaluation of the rate of surgery cancellation in 25 hospitals of Makkah region was performed in this study. The data of scheduled surgeries from 15 different surgical specialties was collected from January to December 2013. Frequency and reasons of cancellation of elective surgical cases in different specialty were studied with a view to recommend suggestions for improvement. Data was analyzed on SPSS -16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There are 120 operating rooms (OR) in 25 Makkah region hospitals and during the year 2013, a total of 16,211 surgery cases were listed, and 1,238 (7.6%) cases were canceled. Contribution to total cancellation was highest in orthopedic 33.8% followed by general surgery 27.5%, obstetrics 7.7% and ENT 5.2%. According to category, 42.81% rate of cancellation was patient related, 20.03% facility related, 9.45% due to improper work-up, 1.45% associated with anesthesia, 7.19% related to surgeons, and 18.90% other/and not recorded reasons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Present study found 7.6% cancelation rate in Makkah region hospitals and three most common causes for cancellations were patients related, facility related and improper work-up.
authors.affiliation: Khalid O Dhafar, FRCS, FACS. Consultant General Surgeon, Al Noor specialist Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khalid O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Dhafar
authors.affiliation: Mutaliq A Ulmalki, SBS. Director Medical Services, King Faisal Hospital, Makkah City Health Affairs, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mutaliq A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ulmalki
authors.affiliation: Mohammad A Felemban, ABFM, FFC. Director of Quality and Patient Safety Department, General Directorate of Healthcare Affair Makkah Region, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Felemban
authors.affiliation: Mohammed Eid Mahfouz, GBGS. General Surgeon, King Faisal Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed Eid
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mahfouz
authors.affiliation: Mostafa J. Baljoon, BD, PhD. Consultant Dental Surgeon, Qunfudah Health Affairs, Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mostafa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Baljoon
authors.affiliation: Zohair J Gazzaz, MBChB, PhD. Assistant Professor Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Zohair J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Gazzaz
authors.affiliation: Mukhtiar Baig, MBBS, PhD, Professor in Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mukhtiar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.affiliation: Noha Mansoor Hamish. Supervisor Bed Management Administration, General Directorate, Makkah Region, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Noha Mansoor
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hamish
authors.affiliation: Saeed A. AlThobaiti, N.Dip. Operating Room Supervisor, Taif, Directorate of Healthcare Affair, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saeed A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: AlThobaiti
authors.affiliation: Fouzia Talea Al-Hothali, N.Dip, BSN. Nursing Quality Supervisor, Makkah Region Nursing Administration, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fouzia Talea
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Al-Hothali
keywords: Makkah region; Operating rooms; Saudi Arabia; Surgery cancelation