2 - Is a Preoperative Screening Clinic Cost-Effective?

Abstract

The preoperative evaluation clinic has evolved over time and continues to do so as the health care system moves toward a value-based care system. In particular, there a shift from a focus on efficiency and reducing same-day cancellations toward optimization and collaborative multidisciplinary care for better patient outcomes. As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) transitions to alternate payment methods with quality-based metrics, policy makers and professional organizations such as the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) have been focused on how to reduce health care costs, particularly in the geriatric population with increased comorbidities. These strategies include initiatives, such as the Brain Health Initiative by the ASA, and focused optimization clinics, such as preoperative anemia clinics. In this chapter, we will discuss how the preoperative evaluation clinic has evolved and discuss the value that the preoperative clinic provides in various entities.