A Multimodal Interdisciplinary QI Intervention Is Associated with Reduction in After Hours Inpatient Endoscopy Cases.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Increasing demand for inpatient endoscopic services results in performing more non-emergent endoscopic cases after-hours, which poses risks to patient safety and negatively impacts patient and provider satisfaction. This study sought to quantify the existing state using quality improvement (QI) methodology, design targeted interventions, and determine their effectiveness. METHODS: We conducted an existing state evaluation through a process map, time-series study, and caseload analysis from 7/2017-12/2018. Using end-of-workday (EOW) as a proxy for patient/provider dissatisfaction and risk for patient safety events, we performed a prospective evaluation of a staged interdisciplinary multimodal intervention aimed to decrease the proportion of days with EOW after 7PM, decrease the proportion of cases begun after 5PM, and decrease EOW variability. The post-intervention period was 6/2019-2/2020. RESULTS: Based on existing state analyses, we implemented a series of targeted interventions: (1) provider workflow tips, (2) expedited transport for select patients, (3) pathway to reschedule appropriate cases to outpatient endoscopy, and (4) increased staffing for high caseload days through resource pooling. The proportion of days with EOW after 7PM decreased from 42.4% to 29.3% (caseload-adjusted odds ratio of 0.39, p< 0.001). Despite increased caseload, cases begun after 5PM decreased from 17.5% to 14.2% (OR 0.75, p = 0.009). EOW SD decreased from 2:20 hours to 1:36 hours. CONCLUSIONS: The multimodal intervention reduced days with EOW after 7PM and the proportion of cases begun after 5PM, despite increased caseload. This study shows how applying research methods to implement QI interventions successfully decreases late inpatient endoscopic cases.

Advanced endoscopic gastrointestinal techniques for the bariatric patient: implications for the anesthesia provider.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The incidence of obesity and the use of endoscopy have risen concurrently throughout the 21st century. Bariatric patients may present to the endoscopy suite for primary treatments as well as preoperatively and postoperatively from bariatric surgery. However, over the past 10 years, endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapies (EBMTs) have emerged as viable alternatives to more invasive surgical approaches for weight loss. RECENT FINDINGS: The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several different gastric EBMTs including aspiration therapy, intragastric balloons, and endoscopic suturing. Other small intestine EBMTs including duodenal mucosal resurfacing, endoluminal magnetic partial jejunal diversion, and Duodenal-Jejunal Bypass Liner are not yet FDA approved, but are actively being investigated. SUMMARY: Obesity causes anatomic and physiologic changes to every aspect of the human body. All EBMTs have specific nuances with important implications for the anesthesiologist. By considering both patient and procedural factors, the anesthesiologist will be able to perform a safe and effective anesthetic.

Safety in the nonoperating room anesthesia suite is not an accident: lessons from the National Transportation Safety Board.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the findings of National Transportation Safety Board-related aviation near misses and catastrophes and apply these principles to the nonoperating room anesthesia (NORA) suite. RECENT FINDINGS: NORA is a specialty that has seen tremendous growth. In 2019, NORA contributes to a larger proportion of anesthesia practice than ever before. With this growth, the NORA anesthesiologist and team are challenged to provide safe, high-quality care for more patients, often with complex comorbidities, and are forced to utilize deeper levels of sedation and anesthesia than ever before. These added pressures create new avenues for human error and adverse outcomes. SUMMARY: Safety in modern anesthesia practice often draws comparison to the aviation industry. From distinct preoperational checklists, defined courses of action, safety monitoring and the process of guiding individuals through a journey, there are many similarities between the practice of anesthesia and flying an airplane. Consistent human performance is paramount to creating safe outcomes. Although human errors are inevitable in any complex process, the goal for both the pilot and physician is to ensure the safety of their passengers and patients, respectively. As the aviation industry has had proven success at managing human error with a dramatic improvement in safety, a deeper look at several key examples will allow for comparisons of how to implement these strategies to improve NORA safety.

Building and Maintaining Organizational Infrastructure to Attain Clinical Excellence.

Active maintenance of highly functional teams is critical to ensuring safe, efficient patient care in the non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) suite. In addition to developing collaborative relationships and patient care protocols, individual and team training is needed. For anesthesiologists, this training must begin during residency. The training should be supplemented with continuing education in this field for providers who find themselves working in the NORA space. As NORA continues to grow, robust NORA-specific quality assurance and improvement programs will empower anesthesiologists with the tools they need to best care for these patients.