Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie
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Standardized care protocols offer the potential to reduce postoperative complication rates. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was an additive benefit associated with the sequential implementation of the evidence-based surgical site infection bundle (SSIB) and enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols for patients undergoing colorectal surgery in a community hospital. ⋯ Sequential implementation of quality-improvement initiatives yielded additive benefit for patients undergoing colorectal surgery in a community hospital, with a decrease in length of stay and wound complication rates. The amount of improvement attributable to either initiative is difficult to define as they were implemented sequentially. The improved outcomes were realized after the introduction of the ERAS protocol in adjusted analyses.
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As highly trained practitioners in the practice of patient care, at times we may not emphasize the art of the patient experience. Multiple studies have shown that patients’ attitudes and expectations have an effect on their outcomes after surgery. ⋯ In this discussion, I review the importance of measuring patient experiences through patient-reported experience measures, and I describe our practice at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital with mass surveying using an Internet-based survey tool. Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital is a 469-bed facility in Oakville, Ont., in which 13 401 surgical procedures were performed in 2016.