The active management of surgical waiting lists: a urological surgery case study.

ABSTRACT

Elective surgery waiting list management is a major public healthcare issue. This case study describes an integrated multifaceted approach to waiting list management at Peninsula Health, a public health service in Victoria, Australia. At the commencement of this study it was recognised that several issues associated with the urological surgical service constituted potential clinical risk. These included recall mechanisms for multiple surveillance procedures; significant resource deficits; and long surgery waiting times. Responding to these issues a multifaceted approach to wait list management was implemented including audit; direct lines of communication between clinical and administrative staff; urgent caseload management; utilisation of the Elective Surgery Access Scheme; financial and resource analysis justifying the appointment of a full-time urologist, and the establishment of a urology service from a satellite campus; implementation of a recall database; development of an outpatient service; and commencement of a day surgery initiative. This approach yielded results that included a 67% reduction in the number of 'ready for care' patients and a 78% reduction in the number of patients classified as 'overdue for surgery'. Average wait time for semi-urgent and non-urgent patients reduced from 248 days to 180 days in the 10-month period.