Quality assurance and utilization review : official journal of the American College of Utilization Review Physicians
-
We reviewed causes of cancelled elective surgery in a community hospital. Over a 6-month period, during which 4100 operating room procedures were completed, cancellations occurred in 13% of cases scheduled for outpatient surgery, 9% of cases scheduled for admission the same day, and 17% of cases scheduled for inpatient surgery. ⋯ Medical factors were responsible in the remaining cases, with reevaluation of the surgical condition and associated medical illnesses equally common as reasons in this category. Appreciation of the usual reasons for cancellation can improve utilization by permitting administrators and providers to anticipate those cases in which problems might arise so that additional attention can be paid to them.