Transforming the preoperative evaluation process for elective cardiac surgery

ABSTRACT

The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia (SA) is in the process of directing publicly funded healthcare facilities to streamline their service delivery processes to improve cost efficiency, while maintaining a high quality of care. Current service models for patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery in SA involve a prolonged preoperative inpatient stay. The preoperative assessment clinic model, which is preferred in many countries, is an alternative to this current standard of care in SA. Herein, we compare and contrast the traditional, inpatient-focused preoperative model with the preoperative assessment clinic model and discuss the implications of transitioning to the new model at King Fahad Medical City. The proposed model for preoperative management for coronary artery bypass grafting produces an immediate 80.48% cost saving over the current level of expenditure. Most expenses in the current model are toward facility costs for the standard 7-day preoperative stay. The proposed model replaces this with the cost of operating the clinic, which is considerably lower, without adversely impacting the level of professional care administered or procedural outcomes. Such cost-cutting and efficiency-improving strategies could benefit other departments of King Fahad Medical City, in institutions across SA, and in institutions in other developing nations.

KEYWORDS:

• Healthcare
• cost
• cardiac surgery
• outpatient
• Saudi Arabia

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mohammed Tarabzoni

Mohammed E. Tarabzoni, MBBS, MPH, King Salman Heart Center, King Fahad Medical City Transforming the Preoperative Evaluation Process for Elective Cardiac Surgery.

Fahad Al-Ghofaili

Fahad Al-Ghofaili, MBBS, FRCSC, Consultant, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery,King Salman Heart Center, King Fahad Medical City.

Dania Al-Jaroudi

Dania H. Al-Jaroudi, MD, MHA, Reproductive Endocrine and Infertility, IVF, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, Women’s Specialized Hospital Consultant, OB GYN, REI Consultant Research Center King Fahad Medical City.

Ahmed Al-Badr

Ahmed Al-Badr, MBBS, FRCSC, FACOG, Consultant, Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery Department, Women’s Specialized Hospital, Consultant, Research Center King Fahad Medical City.