Pre-booking cuts surgical delays

What is it about?

Instead of keeping patients on wait lists until there is an available slot in the operating room, consulting surgeons pre-book the surgery date at the time of their decision to operate (McLeod et al. 2003). To clarify the impacts of pre-booking on access to care, we analyzed data from simulation experiments using a framework of intervention study (Sobolev and Kuramoto 2005).

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Why is it important?

We found fewer cancellations of elective procedures with high priority after pre-booking surgery dates. Within each priority group a larger proportion of patients on wait lists were likely to undergo an operation each week if procedures were pre-booked.