Pre-operative assessment of patients undergoing elective surgery Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust project aimed to develop a safer and more efficient system for pre-operative assessment of patients undergoing elective surgery. In the existing system, patients were often asked the same questions by different professionals, with the answers recorded in multiple places.

The team designed a computer-based patient interview process covering pre-operative medical, nursing and social questions. The system uses branching logic to adapt the questions to each patient's clinical needs and also covers patient consent. Completed interviews can be printed out in narrative format or in a format similar to a traditional nursing admission record.

Benefits

The project aimed to improve efficiency, reduce the number of cancelled operations and save time for ward nurses and junior medical staff.