Use of Simulation Software in Optimizing PACU Operations and Promoting Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines.

PURPOSE: As health care service costs continue to rise, hospitals are looking for innovative solutions to reduce financial burden while maintaining, and even advancing, quality of care. The objective of this study was to reduce costly delays in perioperative operations. DESIGN: Quality improvement project using lean methodology. METHODS: Discrete event simulation was used to evaluate multiple scenarios for improving the flow of patients through the Ambulatory Surgery Center's recovery unit. Bottlenecks were identified to safely minimize service delays and enhance the patient's experience. FINDINGS: Applying the Theory of Constraints, postanesthesia care unit recovery time was identified as the system constraint. An average 5- to 8-minute reduction in recovery time would reduce OR delays by more than 20%. Improvement efforts were focused on application of evidence-based practice. CONCLUSIONS: Simulation established a safe and cost-effective environment for exploring tests of change and optimizing the physical design and operations of an expansion hospital site.

The Benefits of a Preoperative MRSA Swabbing Protocol.

Infection control practices pose a challenge to nursing care in general, but can have a huge negative impact on the perioperative process. Prior to July of 2012, our institution did not perform routine methacillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening on preoperative patients with a prior history of MRSA. This resulted in patients remaining in isolation throughout their entire perioperative course. Screening for MRSA was delayed until the patient arrived in the medical surgical unit. Many of these patients were later found to have negative nasal swabs. The delay in screening often resulted in the unnecessary use of supplies (increased cost), delayed post anesthesia care unit (PACU) bay turnover and decreased staff satisfaction. Meetings with Hospital Infection Control, lab personnel and PACU staff resulted in the development of a preoperative MRSA swabbing protocol. In July of 2012 a preoperative MRSA swabbing protocol was implemented. Since implementation, the PACU has experienced a cost savings between $7,200- $11,800, a minimum of 40 minutes on PACU bay turnover and an increase in staff satisfaction.

Recent changes in the innovative postanesthesia care unit gatekeeper role.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: This article responds to issues raised to . Focused areas of this article include (a) a review of the gatekeeper role in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, AZ, (b) clarification of the Medicare Inpatient Only list, (c) a review of how the Mayo Clinic Hospital schedules a Medicare same-day procedure, (d) preadmission orders, (e) postadmission procedure orders for outpatient in a bed and observation status and inpatient, (f) case examples, (g) amplification of the Medicare Two-Midnight Rule, and (h) emerging hospital billing issues. PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING: Hospital PACU. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: The increased yearly savings demonstrated by the PACU case management gatekeeper role has substantiated this essential hospital role. IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT: The PACU case management position will become more important in the future because of rapid changes regarding surgical reimbursement to hospitals. Unit case managers must collaborate with PACU case managers to become familiar with new reimbursement models. The development of new strategies for accurate compensation will be mandatory throughout the hospital continuum.

Financial and operational impact of a direct-from-PACU discharge pathway for laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the operational and financial impact of discharging laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) patients directly from the postanesthetic care unit (PACU) in comparison with post-transfer discharge from a hospital bed in a busy academic hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively compared 6 months of performance (bed utilization; recovery room and hospital length of stay; complications; readmissions; hospital costs, revenue, and margin) after implementation of PACU discharges (case patients) to the corresponding 6 months in the prior year (control patients). RESULTS: After implementation, 66% of LC case patients were discharged on the day of surgery, compared with 29% in the control group (P < .05). Eighty percent of the day-of-surgery discharges were directly from the PACU. Shifting to PACU discharge saved 1 in-hospital bed transfer and 1 bed-day for each PACU discharge. Recovery room length of stay for PACU discharge patients was 26% longer than for hospital discharge patients (P = NS). Average hospital length of stay for all patients discharged on the day of surgery was 3.2 hours shorter (P < .05) for case patients (80% PACU discharge) than for control patients. There were no readmissions in the PACU discharge group and no difference in complications. While costs, revenue, and net margin for PACU discharge patients were reduced by 40% to 50% (P < .02) relative to floor discharge patients, the hospital's net margin for the combined case patient group was preserved relative to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: PACU discharge of LC patients significantly reduces bed utilization, decreases in-hospital transfers, and allows congested hospitals to better accommodate patient care needs and generate additional revenue.

Impact of surgical sequencing on post anesthesia care unit staffing.

This paper analyzes the impact of sequencing rules on the phase I post anesthesia care unit (PACU) staffing and over-utilized operating room (OR) time resulting from delays in PACU admission. The sequencing rules are applied to each surgeon's list of cases independently. Discrete event simulation shows the importance of having a sufficient number of PACU nurses. Sequencing rules have a large impact on the maximum number of patients receiving care in the PACU (i.e., peak of activity). Seven sequencing rules are tested, over a wide range of scenarios. The largest effect of sequencing was on the percentage of days with at least one delay in PACU admission. The best rules are those that smooth the flow of patients entering in the PACU (HIHD (Half Increase in OR time and Half Decrease in OR time) and MIX (MIX OR time)). We advise against using the LCF (Longest Cases First) and equivalent sequencing methods. They generate more over-utilized OR time, require more PACU nurses during the workday, and result in more days with at least one delay in PACU admission.

Fast-tracking (bypassing the PACU) does not reduce nursing workload after ambulatory surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative day-case patients are usually allowed to recover from anaesthesia in a postanaesthesia care unit (PACU) before transfer back to the day surgical unit (DSU). Bypassing the PACU can decrease recovery time after day surgery. Cost savings may result from a reduced nursing workload associated with the decreased recovery time. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of bypassing the PACU on patient recovery time and nursing workload and costs. METHODS: Two hundred and seven consenting outpatients undergoing day surgery procedures were enrolled. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with a standardized technique and the electroencephalographic bispectral index was monitored and maintained at 40-60 during anaesthetic maintenance. At the end of surgery, patients were randomly assigned to either a routine or fast-tracking (FT) group. Patients in the FT group were transferred from the operating room to the DSU (i.e. bypassing the PACU) if they achieved the FT criteria. All other patients were transferred to the PACU and then to the DSU. Nursing workload was evaluated using a patient care hour chart based on the type and frequency of nursing interventions in the PACU and DSU. A cost associated with the nursing workload was calculated. RESULTS: The overall time from end of anaesthesia to discharge home was significantly decreased in the fast-tracking group. However, overall patient care hours and costs were similar in the two recovery groups. CONCLUSION: Bypassing the PACU after these short outpatient procedures significantly decreases recovery time without compromising patient satisfaction. However, the overall nursing workload and the associated cost were not significantly affected.

Is meta-analysis clinically useful for perianesthesia nurses?

Meta-analyses can provide clinicians with the evidence-based information necessary to effect change in patient care delivery. Meta-analysis, the application of statistical techniques to condense data from a group of individual studies, is the most sophisticated summary of research evidence. An example meta-analysis study of inadvertent surgical hypothermia is used in this article to describe how nurses can locate, evaluate, and apply synthesized research data for perianesthesia clinical practice. Without data to support decisions, nurses will increasingly be faced with decisions made by others based on cost-cutting measures alone. Although meta-analysis may resolve a controversy or solve a clinical problem, it will not provide simple statistical answers for complex problems or obviate the need for sound and compassionate clinical judgment.

Use of a modified Postanesthesia Recovery Score in phase II perianesthesia period of ambulatory surgery patients.

Use of discharge criteria in the ambulatory surgery setting has been the topic of many research studies and reviews. This article provides a discussion of a research utilization project regarding the use of a modified Postanesthesia Recovery Score for Ambulatory Patients (PARSAP) in Phase II recovery of a perianesthesia unit. The impetus for this project was the closure of a hospital's only inpatient ward, resulting in all surgery performed on an outpatient basis. Based on community standards and a review of literature, this project evaluated the use of the modified PARSAP on ambulatory surgery patients. The intent of the project was to improve the flow of patients through the recovery process in an effort to contain or reduce costs while still maintaining high-quality patient care standards. Results of the project showed a decreased inpatient length of stay without any increase in reports of postoperative complications. The favorable outcomes of the use of this scoring system have led to its implementation on a permanent basis. This is a U.S. government work. There are no restrictions on its use.

Nursing workload associated with adverse events in the postanesthesia care unit.

BACKGROUND: The authors used a nursing task inventory system to assess nursing resources for patients with and without adverse postoperative events in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). METHODS: Over 3 months, 2,031 patients were observed, and each task/activity related to direct patient care was recorded and assigned points according to the Project Research in Nursing (PRN) workload system. PRN values for each patient were merged with data from an anesthesia database containing demographics, anesthesia technique, and postoperative adverse events. Mean and median PRN points were determined by age, sex, duration of procedure, and mode of anesthesia for patients with and without adverse events in the PACU. Three theoretical models were developed to determine the effect of differing rates of adverse events on the requirements for nurses in the PACU. RESULTS: The median workload (PRN points) per patient was 31.0 (25th-75th percentile, 25-46). Median workload was 26 points for patients with no postoperative events and 155 for > or = six adverse events. Workload varied by type of postoperative event (e.g., unanticipated admission to the intensive care unit, median workload = 95; critical respiratory event = 54; and nausea/vomiting = 33). Monitored anesthesia care or general anesthesia with spontaneous ventilation used less resources compared with general anesthesia with mechanical ventilation. Modeling various scenarios (controlling for types of patients) showed that adverse events increased the number of nursing personnel required in the PACU. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing care documentation based on requirements for individual patients demonstrates that the rate of postoperative adverse events affects the amount of nursing resources needed in the PACU.

What can the postanesthesia care unit manager do to decrease costs in the postanesthesia care unit?

The economic structure of the PACU dictates whether a cost-reducing intervention (e.g., reducing the length of time patients stay in the PACU) is likely to decrease hospital costs. Cost-reducing interventions, such as changes in medical practice patterns (e.g., to reduce PACU length of stay), only impact variable costs. How PACU nurses are paid (e.g., salaried v hourly) affects which strategies to decrease PACU staffing costs will actually save money. For example, decreases in PACU labor costs resulting from increases in the number of patients that bypass the PACU vary depending on how the staff is compensated. The choice of anesthetic drugs and the elimination of low morbidity side effects of anesthesia, such as postoperative nausea, are likely to have little effect on the peak numbers of patients in a PACU and PACU staffing costs. Because the major determinant of labor productivity in the PACU is hour-to-hour and day-to-day variability in the timing of admissions from the operating room, a more even inflow of patients into the PACU could be attained by appropriate sequencing of cases in the operating room suite (e.g., have long cases scheduled at the beginning of the day). However, this mathematically proven solution may not be desirable. Surgeons, for example, may not want to lose control over the order of their cases. Guidelines for analysis of past daily peak numbers of patients are provided that will provide data to predict the minimum adequate number of nurses needed. Though many managers already do this manually on an ad hoc basis statistical methods summarized in this article may increase the accuracy.

Obstetric postanesthesia care unit stays: reevaluation of discharge criteria after regional anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Obstetric patients may have long postanesthesia care unit (OB-PACU) stays after surgery because of residual regional block or other conditions. This study evaluated whether modified discharge criteria might allow for earlier discharge without compromising patient safety. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected for 6 months for all patients (N=358) who underwent cesarean section or tubal ligation and recovered in the OB-PACU. Regional anesthesia was used in 94% of patients. The duration of anesthesia and PACU stays, the presence and treatment of events in the PACU, and the regression of neural blockade were recorded. Discharge from the OB-PACU required a 60-min minimum stay, stable vital signs, adequate analgesia, and ability to flex the knees. After completion of prospective data collection, events that kept patients in the PACU after 60 min were reevaluated as to whether patients needed to stay in the PACU for medical reasons. "Needed to stay" events included bleeding, cardiorespiratory problems, sedation, dizziness, and pain. "Safe to leave" conditions included pruritus, nausea, and residual neural blockade. The cumulative duration of OB-PACU stays not clearly justifiable for medical reasons was calculated. RESULTS: Residual block and spinal opioid side effects accounted for the majority of "unnecessary" stays. Annually, 429 h of PACU time could have been saved using the revised criteria. Complications did not develop subsequently in any patient deemed "safe to leave." CONCLUSIONS: In many obstetric patients, the duration of PACU stays could safely be shortened by continuing observation in a lower-acuity setting. This may result in greater flexibility and more efficient use of nursing personnel.

The successful implementation of pharmaceutical practice guidelines. Analysis of associated outcomes and cost savings. SWiPE Group. Systematic Withdrawal of Perioperative Expenses.

BACKGROUND: Although approximately 2,000 medical practice guidelines have been proposed, few have been successfully implemented and sustained. We hypothesized that we could develop and institute practice guidelines to promote more appropriate use of costly anesthetics, to generate and sustain widespread compliance from a large physician group, and to decrease costs without adversely affecting clinical outcomes. METHODS: A prospective before and after comparison study was performed at a tertiary care medical center. Clinical outcomes data and times indicative of perioperative patient flow were collected on the first of two sets of patients 1 month before discussion of practice guidelines. Practice guidelines were developed by the physicians and their associated care team for the intraoperative use of anesthetic drugs. A drug distribution process was developed to aid compliance. Clinical outcomes data and times indicative of perioperative patient flow were collected on the second set of patients 1 month after institution of practice guidelines. Hospital drug costs and adherence to guidelines were noted throughout the study period and for each of the following 9 months by querying the database of an automated anesthesia record keeper. RESULTS: A total of 1,744 patients were studied. Drug costs decreased from 56 dollars per case to 32 dollars per case as a result of adherence to practice guidelines. Perioperative patient flow was minimally affected. Time (mean +/- SD) from end of surgery to arrival in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) increased from 11 +/- 7 min before the authors instituted practice guidelines to 14 +/- 8 min after practice guidelines (P < 0.0001). Admission of inpatients to the PACU receiving monitored anesthesia care increased from 6.5 to 12.9% (P < 0.02). Perioperative patient flow and clinical outcomes were not otherwise adversely affected. Compliance and cost savings have been sustained. CONCLUSIONS: This study is an example of a successful physician-directed program to promote more appropriate utilization of health care resources. Cost savings were obtained without any substantial changes in clinical outcomes. Institution of similar practice guidelines should result in pharmaceutical savings in the range of 50% at tertiary care centers around the country, with a slightly smaller degree of savings expected at institutions with more ambulatory surgery.

A salaried compensation model for postanesthesia nurses.

Health care organizations involved in innovative and creative work redesign projects may find traditional pay structures inadequate to meet the needs of the changing environment. The idea of salaried compensation for registered nurses is not unprecedented. However, few salaried compensation models for nurses are described in the literature. This article presents a model that we believe will be of particular interest to nurses in PACUs, because its design allows for adequate call coverage plus flexibility in scheduling. In addition, this compensation model eliminates incidental overtime, thus allowing for a more predictable salary budget.