A Model to Prioritize Access to Elective Surgery
Author Information
Author(s): Roberto Valente, Angela Testi, Elena Tanfani, Marco Fato, Ivan Porro, Maurizio Santo, Gregorio Santori, Giancarlo Torre, Gianluca Ansaldo
Primary Institution: S. Martino University Hospital
Hypothesis
The study aims to propose a model to manage waiting lists and prioritize admissions to elective surgery based on clinical urgency and waiting time.
Conclusion
The SWALIS model effectively provides data to monitor waiting lists and allows for standardized prioritization, enhancing transparency and efficiency.
Supporting Evidence
- The SWALIS model was applied to a diverse range of clinical conditions and surgical procedures.
- Waiting lists were fully updated and 100% of admissions in the pilot unit were planned using the SWALIS algorithm.
- Patients were protected from inequities in waiting times based on urgency.
- The model allowed for real-time prioritization and scheduling of surgeries.
Takeaway
This study created a system to help hospitals decide who should get surgery first based on how urgent their needs are and how long they've been waiting.
Methodology
The study involved a two-phase project where a pre-admission process model was designed and tested in a general surgery unit over three years.
Potential Biases
There is a risk of subjectivity in the assessment of urgency, which was not formally evaluated.
Limitations
The study did not investigate the subjectivity of urgency assessment with proper tools, which may affect the reliability of the prioritization.
Participant Demographics
The patient population included a wide age range from pediatric to elderly patients, with a moderate prevalence of female patients due to breast surgery candidates.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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