A Quality Improvement Project: Using the STOP-BANG Tool in a Military Population to Improve Equity in Preoperative Screening.
BACKGROUND
The lack of a preoperative screening tool to detect obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may lead to an increase in postoperative complications.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to implement a prescreening tool to identify diagnosed or undiagnosed OSA before a surgical procedure.


METHODS
The study was conducted in the surgical admission center and postanesthesia care unit at a military treatment facility in Hawaii.


METHODS
Participants of the study included military personnel, military family members, veterans, and veteran beneficiaries.


METHODS
The STOP-BANG (snore/tired/obstruction/pressure-body mass index/age/neck/gender) tool was used between April and June 2013 to identify and stratify 1,625 patients into low-risk, intermediate-risk, high-risk, and known OSA categories.


RESULTS
The STOP-BANG tool confirmed the diagnosed OSA rate to be 13.48%, and increased at-risk OSA detection by 24.69%. Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders were more frequently found to be at risk with known OSA, likely to have complications, and be transferred to PACU 23-hour extended stay compared to other races and intermediate-risk and high-risk categories.


CONCLUSIONS
The STOP-BANG tool identified and stratified surgical patients at risk for OSA and standardized OSA assessments.
Samuel E
SE
Dixon
Shelia A
SA
Haas
Audrey
A
Klopp
Judy
J
Carlson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D011300:Preoperative Care; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
STOP-BANG questionnaire; obstructive sleep apnea; sleep apnea; sleep disordered breathing