Cancellation Rate Research Articles

Clinical evidence of growth hormone for infertile women with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing IVF: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To appraise the current randomized clinical trials (RCTs) for evidence of the association of growth hormone (GH) with improved outcomes in infertile women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Relevant RCTs published in Chinese or English were identified through a comprehensive search of nine databases from the period of database inception to April 20, 2023. We included trials investigating adjuvant GH during ovarian stimulation and reported the subsequent outcomes. The group with adjuvant GH treatment and the group without adjuvant GH treatment were set up as the trial and control groups, respectively. The quality of RCTs was measured according to the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook. Of the 579 studies initially identified, 10 RCTs comprising 852 infertile women with DOR were included. The GH dose of individual trials ranged between 3 and 5 IU/day. Overall, we judged the trials to be at high risk of bias in the blinding domain. Pooled results showed that GH was associated with an increased clinical pregnancy rate (RR = 1.63, 95%CI [1.31, 2.03], p < 0.0001) and a greater number of oocytes retrieved (MD = 0.91, 95%CI [0.47, 1.35], p < 0.0001). Favorable associations were also observed when ovarian stimulation was combined with GH therapy for improving the optimal embryos rate (RR = 1.84, 95%CI [1.30, 2.59], p = 0.0005) and the number of optimal embryos (MD = 0.28, 95%CI [0.08, 0.48], p = 0.005) along with reducing the cycle cancellation rate (RR = 0.46, 95%CI [0.24, 0.89], p = 0.02). Moreover, GH resulted in an increase in the fertilization rate (RR = 1.33, 95%CI [1.18, 1.50], p < 0.00001) and the embryo implantation rate (RR = 1.56, 95%CI [1.21, 2.01], p = 0.0006). In addition, there was a significant enhancement in estradiol levels (SMD = 1.18, 95%CI [0.46, 1.91], p = 0.001) and endometrial thickness (MD = 0.75, 95%CI [0.41, 1.09], p < 0.0001) on the day of hCG. With regard to the total number of days and total dose of gonadotrophins used, GH treatment was correlated with shorter days (MD = -0.26, 95%CI [-0.46, -0.06], p = 0.01) and lower dose (MD = -460.97, 95%CI [-617.20, -304.73], p < 0.00001) of gonadotrophins applied during ovarian stimulation. Furthermore, GH in conjunction with the GnRH antagonist protocol was more conducive to improving the number of oocytes retrieved when compared with the GnRH agonist protocol (p < 0.0001). Moreover, a notable association was also seen in IVF combined with GH more than or equal to 4.5 IU/day to increase the number of optimal embryos and estradiol levels on the day of hCG (p < 0.05). For infertile women with DOR undergoing IVF, adjuvant treatment with GH during ovarian stimulation protocols showed better clinical outcomes, shorter days and lower dosages of gonadotrophin required. Furthermore, well-designed RCTs are needed to verify our results in the future. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk PROSPERO (CRD42023421739).

A signaling theory of reservation cancellation policies

We examine the signaling effect of a hotel’s reservation cancellation policy. We find separating equilibria in which the refund rate indicates high quality. Consumers may cancel their hotel reservations due to unforeseen events. We examine two cases: one in which an unforeseen event may reduce the reservation holder’s valuation to zero if consumers have no other purpose and the other in which the valuation decreases but can be used for an alternative purpose. We show that a low refund rate for cancellations indicates high quality in the former case because a given refund rate is costlier for a high-quality hotel due to its larger volume of reservations. In the latter case, we show that a high refund rate can signal high quality because a given refund rate is less expensive for a high-quality hotel because of its lower cancellation rate.

An analysis of Plan, Do, Study, Act for a supportive care program for patients with metastatic breast cancer.

376 Background: Patients with metastatic cancer have unique survivorship needs. Recent studies show patients with advanced cancer have unmet needs in the following categories: health information (31%), psychosocial support (27%), symptom management and general wellness support (23%) (Hart, et al., 2022). The Living Well with Advanced Breast Cancer Clinic (LWABC) was established in 2017 to address these unmet needs. This multidisciplinary clinic provides the patient and caregiver(s) an individual visit with a medical oncologist, integrative medicine physician, palliative medicine physician, dietitian, and nurse navigator. The patient is provided in-depth education and personalized supportive care plans. Methods: Over recent years, clinic staff have utilized the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) (Taylor, et al., 2014 ) methodology to refine operations and improve patient care. In 2021, the plan phase was initiated with incorporation of a nurse navigator and program manager for the clinic. Nurse navigation services have been shown to improve patient and caregiver knowledge as well as quality of life and was deemed an important addition to the program (Oncology Nursing Society, 2018). At the beginning of calendar year 2022, in the “do” phase, the nurse navigator/program manager was hired and implemented pre-visit phone calls as well as navigation services for patients. These services include assessment of needs, patient education, provision of community resources, and assistance with scheduling referrals. At the beginning of calendar year 2023, use of the NCCN distress thermometer and problem list was initiated. The current phase, “study,” includes development of a dashboard for monitoring clinic operations. Review and assessment of distress thermometer data is ongoing. Results: When comparing calendar year 2021 to 2022, the clinic has seen increases in referrals (40 in 2021 to 65 in 2022), number of patients seen (31 in 2021 to 46 in 2022), and unique patient zip codes (28 in 2021 to 42 in 2022). There was also a reduction in late cancellation rates from 15.9% (2021) to 7.2% (2022). Late cancellation is defined as any appointment cancelled 24 hours or less prior to scheduled visit. Conclusions: Utilizing the PDSA cycle clinic staff have seen operational improvements over the last two years. Currently, this supportive care program remains in a “study” phase and will continue to evaluate progress and patient outcomes. Results from the act phase will be utilized to continue expansion of the clinic and services in the future. Further aiding this endeavor is an embedded patient advocate and ongoing outreach and collaboration with patient support organizations.

Gonadotropin Versus Gonadotropin/Letrozole Protocol in Previously Failed Antagonist Cycles in Patients with Low Prognosis

Objective: Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor which has been used for ovulation induction. Our aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of adding letrozole to gonadotropins in the early follicular phase of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-a) protocol in patients with poor ovarian response who had failed in the preceding GnRH-a cycle.&#x0D; Materials and Method: Ninety-eight patients with poor ovarian response who had previously failed GnRH-a cycle were included. Patients (n; 58) who were treated with letrozole plus gonadotropins (LzGA) were compared with patients (n; 40) who received gonadotropins (GT). The number of total oocytes retrieved, the number of MII oocytes and fertilized oocytes, fertilization and implantation ratios, the rate of cycle cancellation as well as clinical pregnancy and live birth rates&#x0D; Results: The LzGA group had a significantly shorter duration of GnRH-a stimulation and higher progesterone level at trigger day (p=0.005, p=0.049 respectively). Although letrozole administration demonstrated lower estradiol levels at trigger day and the total dose of gonadotropins used were lower in LzGA group, this was statistically non-significant (p=0.13, p=0.13 respectively).&#x0D; Conclusion: Adding letrozole to gonadotropins in GnRH-a protocol in patients with poor prognosis did not improve pregnancy outcomes. But it seems to decrease IVF costs by reducing the GnRH-antagonist and gonadotropin dosage.

THU429 Improvement Of Osteoporosis Evaluation And Management In Patients Admitted With Hip Fractures At A Tertiary Level Academic Healthcare Institution In Manhattan

Abstract Disclosure: K. Haridas: None. K. Cuan: None. R. Agarwal: None. Objective: Osteoporosis is a widely prevalent disorder responsible for 1.5 million fractures annually resulting in high morbidity, mortality and financial sequelae. We conducted a quality improvement project to improve the diagnosis, evaluation and management of underlying osteoporosis in patients admitted with fragility hip fractures at our healthcare institutions and to understand the barriers to follow-up and thus, in setting up a fracture liaison clinic. Method: Patients admitted with pathological hip fractures were identified and provided educational handouts. Referrals were placed to outpatient Endocrinology for further evaluation and treatment. The status of follow up appointments in Endocrinology and other specialties was noted to evaluate barriers leading to attrition. Relevant steps were taken to address barriers by creating and implementing appropriate strategies. Effectiveness of the strategies was assessed by monitoring rates of outpatient follow up and strategies then permanently instituted or modified as appropriate. Results: 300 patients were included in the study. 278 patients (93%) had follow-up appointments scheduled, while 22 discharged patients did not due to scheduling deficits. Only 56 patients (21%) were present at their follow up appointments. All the patients who were seen at the clinic had appropriate evaluation and treatment of osteoporosis. Of the 79% of patients who cancelled their scheduled appointments, one third of patients (94 patients/ 33%) had a high rate of cancellation or absenteeism to other scheduled appointments as well, while 5 patients attended telehealth appointments only. Discussion: Only 10 to 20% of patients are treated for underlying osteoporosis after a fragility hip fracture. Fracture liaison services are interdisciplinary healthcare models for secondary and tertiary prevention of osteoporosis related complications in a population. Our project was designed to facilitate transition to this model. Despite high rates of designated follow up, significant attrition was noted. Debility due to old age, lack of understanding the need for timely treatment, socio-economic and logistic obstacles contribute to the same. In order to overcome the above barriers, steps proposed include having a designated member of staff meet with the patients during admission to coordinate further follow up for osteoporosis management, and to schedule telemedicine visits to bypass the barriers for physical attendance. In addition, patients will be liable to pay a no-show fee in the event of not attending follow-up appointments without prior notice. We also aim to contact providers in Orthopedics to coordinate referral of patients to Endocrinology during outpatient follow up visits post hospitalization and create a Fragility fracture Order set on Epic, containing a list of first line investigations and nutrient supplementation at discharge. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Impact of Workflow and Educational Interventions on MR Safety in Radiation Oncology.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is becoming increasingly integrated into radiation oncology (RO) departments with the use of MRI-Linacs and MRI simulation. Due to the number of implants in patients with cancer, adoption of comprehensive patient screening and MR safety workflows in RO is critical. Identifying MR unsafe implants only at the time of MRI simulation leads to same-day cancellations, potentially delaying treatment, and can risk MR safety events (SEs). This quality improvement study evaluated the impact of workflow and educational interventions on MR safety in RO at a single institution. In an effort to decrease same-day cancellations and improve safety surrounding use of a 3 Tesla MRI simulator at an academic center, three plan-see-do-act (PDSA) cycles were implemented from 4/18/22 - 1/19/23. MR safety oversight for the simulator was provided by a multidisciplinary team, with input from both radiology and RO. PDSA cycle 1 implemented a two-screen functional workflow, adapted from radiology at the same institution. The first screen is completed by the practice coordinator (PC) at the time of scheduling to triage high-risk patients into a work queue (WQ) for further evaluation by the MR safety team. The second screen is performed by the MR technologist (MRT) at the point of care. PDSA cycle 2 involved education for PCs. PDSA cycle 3 was a second PC educational intervention including a visual aide to assist with WQ use. Efficacy was determined by the number of same-day cancellations, patients in the WQ (a measure of the number of patients identified at the initial screen as having an implant), and SEs in each PDSA cycle. PDSA cycle 1 spanned 56 workdays during which 91 MR simulations were scheduled with 6 cancellations (6.5%). PDSA cycle 2 spanned 84 days during which 173 MR simulations were scheduled with 18 cancellations (10.4%). PDSA cycle 3 spanned 39 workdays and had 94 MR simulations, with 7 cancellations (7.4%). The cancellation rate during each PDSA cycle was 0.11, 0.21, and 0.17 cancellations/day, respectively. The number of patients in the WQ during each PDSA cycle, representing successfully screened high-risk patients, was 0, 0, and 3, respectively. There were no SEs during the study. In this study, an MR safety workflow from radiology was successfully implemented in RO. There were no SEs during the study, but the number of patients successfully screened as high-risk and placed in the WQ increased after repeat PC education. Further increases in WQ use would decrease the demand for implant assessment at point of care, which could decrease burden on the MRT, same day cancellations, and potentially SEs. This will be especially important if case load increases. Future work could expand educational efforts to additional staff.

Telehealth Use and Access to Neurology Outpatient Clinical Services for Children: An Observational Cohort Study.

Access to neurology services is important for children's well-being. We sought to evaluate the effects of telehealth on pedi-atric neurology appointment outcomes for children. Using electronic health record (EHR) data, information about children with pediatric neurology appointments in a tertiary care children's hospital in North Carolina was collected. Appointment outcomes (completion, cancellation, and no-show rates) were calculated for children who had a neurology appointment scheduled both in the pre-pandemic (March 10, 2019, to March 9, 2020) and pandemic (March 10, 2020, to March 9, 2021) periods. "Telehealth user" was a child who had at least one telehealth appointment scheduled between March 10, 2020, and March 9, 2021. In bivariate and multivariate analyses, we compared appointment outcomes for telehealth users and non-users. EHR data were limited to a single institution and could have missed children's clinical encounters elsewhere. Since this study used secondary data that were not collected for research purposes, it is possible that there were unmeasured confounders. Because of the observational nature of the study, the association between telehealth use and appointment outcomes does not indicate causation. A total of 2110 children had 11,194 pediatric neurology appointments scheduled. Telehealth users compared with non-users were more likely to be White, non-Hispanic, have private insurance, and live farther from the children's hospital. There was a statistically sig-nificant decrease in completion (66% versus 57%) and increase in cancellation (27% versus 33%) and no-show (7% versus 10%) rates in the pandemic when compared to the pre-pandemic period. In the pre-pandemic period, telehealth user and non-user groups had similar cancellation and no-show rates. In the pandemic period, there was a statistically significant decrease in cancellation and no-show rates in the telehealth user group when compared to the non-user group. Pediatric neurology outpatient clinic visits decreased substantially during the pandemic. Telehealth mitigated these problems. Children belonging to a minority race/ethnicity are less likely to use telehealth, increasing their risk of poor access to neurology services.

The potential influence of follicle diameter on natural cycle in vitro fertilization among women with diminished ovarian reserve: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundNatural cycle- in vitro fertilization (NC-IVF) is particularly recommended for women with decreased ovarian reserve (DOR) or poor response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. In these cases, it can be challenging to determine the optimal timing for a trigger, and follicles of varying sizes are typically obtained. The influence of follicular size on IVF outcomes in women with DOR remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the association between different follicular sizes and NC-IVF outcomes in women with DOR.MethodsA retrospective cohort study involving 477 NC-IVF cycles from 2015 to 2021 was conducted at one of the largest reproductive medical centers in China. Follicular growth was monitored using transvaginal ultrasonography, and the follicles were categorized into three groups based on their diameters:12–15 mm; 16–17 mm and ≥ 18 mm. Laboratory outcomes were evaluated, including the number of canceled cycles, number of oocytes retrieved, 2PN fertilization, embryo and good-quality embryo, fresh embryo transfers, and frozen embryo. Additionally, clinical outcomes, such as the rates of biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth, were investigated and compared among the different follicular size groups.ResultsA total of 68 cycles with follicles sizes of 12-15 mm, 171 cycles with follicles sizes of 16-17 mm, and 236 cycles with follicles sizes ≥ 18 mm were included in this study. The basic characteristics, including female age, male age, infertility duration, infertility type, and parity, were comparable among the groups. The rate of cycle cancellation in the 12–15 mm group (27.9%) was higher compared to the other two groups. The 2PN fertilization rate for follicles with a diameter of 16-17 mm (75.0%) was higher than that of follicles with a diameter of 12-15 mm (61.3%) and ≥ 18 mm (56.6%) (P = 0.031). Other clinical outcomes, such as the number of oocytes retrieved, good-quality embryos, fresh embryo transfers, and frozen embryos, did not show significant differences between groups. Further analysis revealed no significant difference in the rates of clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth rate among the three groups.ConclusionsThis study indicates that in women with DOR undergoing NC-IVF, if a premature LH surge occurs and small follicles are retrieved, these follicles can still be used in subsequent treatment and provide a comparable chance of clinical pregnancy to normal-sized follicles. These findings have important implications for guiding NC-IVF treatment in patients with severe DOR.Trial registration numberN/A.

Performance of the Cue COVID-19 point-of-care molecular test: insights from a multi-site clinic service model.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for rapid and accurate molecular diagnostic testing. The Cue COVID-19 Point-of-Care Test (Cue POCT) is a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), authorized by Health Canada and FDA as a POCT for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Cue POCT was deployed at a network of clinics in Ontario, Canada with n = 13,848 patrons tested between 17 July 2021 and 31 January 2022. The clinical performance and operational experience with Cue POCT were examined for this testing population composed mostly of asymptomatic individuals (93.7%). A head-to-head prospective clinical verification was performed between 17 July and 4 October for all POCT service clients (n = 3,037) with paired COVID-19 testing by Cue and RT-PCR. Prospective verification demonstrated a clinical sensitivity of 100% and clinical specificity of 99.4% for Cue COVID-19 POCT. The lack of false negatives and low false positive rate (0.64%), underscores the high accuracy (99.4%) of Cue POCT to provide rapid PCR quality results. Low error rates (cancellation rate of 0% and invalid rate of 0.63%) with the current software version were additionally noted. Taken together, these findings highlight the value of accurate molecular COVID-19 POCT in a distributed service delivery model to rapidly detect cases in the community with the potential to curb transmission in high-exposure settings (i.e., in-flight, congregate workplace, and social events). The insights gleaned from this operational implementation are readily transferable to future POCT diagnostic services. IMPORTANCE This manuscript reports on the findings of a large asymptomatic population who underwent surveillance COVID testing on the Cue COVID-19 Point-of-Care Test (POCT). Review of test performance of this rapid molecular POCT, as compared to gold standard RT-PCR, is valuable to many audiences, including public health, emergency testing services, employers, and the general population of consumers who are seeking a user-friendly, accurate, cost-effective, and sustainable testing model for COVID screening. The findings from this operational experience also inform future models of POCT services beyond COVID.

Incidence and root causes of surgery cancellations at an academic medical center in Iran: a retrospective cohort study on 29,978 elective surgical cases

IntroductionCanceling scheduled surgeries on the day of surgery places a heavy burden on healthcare providers and has psychological, social, and financial consequences on patients and their families. This study aimed to investigate the main reasons for cancellations of elective procedures and provide appropriate recommendations to reduce the rate of such avoidable cancellations.MethodsData were collected retrospectively from all consecutive elective cases scheduled for various elective surgeries from January 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022 at Namazi Teaching Hospital, a major referral center in southern Iran with a capacity of 938 beds. Daily data were collected on the number of planned electives, cancellations, and reasons for cancellations. Surgical cancellation reasons were categorized as patient-related, surgeon-related, hospital/system-related, and anesthesia-related. Data were expressed as frequency (percentage) and analyzed with SPSS version 19 software.ResultsThe cancellation rate on surgery day for elective procedures in all fields was 6.3%. The highest cancellation rate was related to minor surgeries (19%), followed by urology (8%), pediatrics (7%), and plastic surgery (7%). The most common reasons for cancellation were patients not suitable for the procedure (37%), followed by patients who did not follow instructions (10%), lack of time (10.5%), and equipment/supplies problems (10%), and refusal to consent (6%).ConclusionsAccording to this study, patients’ unsuitability for surgery, non-compliance with instructions, lack of time, and problems with equipment/supplies are the main reasons for canceling surgery. Proper preoperative assessment and preparation of patients and improved communication between medical teams and patients reduce the cancellation of booked surgeries.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: a possible choice for patients with resistant thin endometrium during frozen embryo transfer treatments

BackgroundThin endometrium is considered suboptimal for embryo implantation, leading to compromised pregnancy rates without effective therapies. While some studies have reported promoted endometrial growth after a period of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in patients with intrauterine adhesion, there have been no reports in patients with resistant thin endometrium. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of HBOT on endometrium growth and pregnancy outcomes in patients with resistant thin endometrium during frozen embryo transfer (FET) treatments.MethodsThis prospective pre-post cohort study was conducted at a university-affiliated assisted reproductive medical center between October 2021 and December 2022. Patients who had experienced at least one canceled transfer cycle due to a thin endometrium(< 7 mm) on the endometrium transformation day, despite the use of standard therapies as well as adjuvant therapies, were enrolled in the study. Patients were assigned voluntarily to either the HBOT group or the concurrent control group. The HBOT group received daily HBOT for at least 10 days during the proliferative phase, in addition to the routine endometrium preparation methods and the concurrent control group underwent cycles without HBOT. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to ensure comparability between the groups. Both self-control and case-control comparisons were conducted. The primary outcome measured was endometrial thickness (ET) on the day of endometrium transformation. Secondary outcomes included intrauterine pregnancy rate (IPR), embryo implantation rate (IR), miscarriage rate, and others.ResultsPatients in the HBOT group demonstrated a significantly thicker endometrial thickness on the day of endometrium transformation after undergoing therapy (5.76 ± 1.66 vs. 6.57 ± 1.23, P = 0.002). This improvement was accompanied by a decreased rate of cycle cancellations. Baseline parameters and endometrial thickness were comparable between the HBOT group and the concurrent control group during the cycle. The IPR was similar in patients who received cleavage-stage embryos (0.0% vs. 6.7%, P = 1.00), but significantly higher in patients in the HBOT group who received blastocysts (53.8% vs. 18.2%, P = 0.017).ConclusionsA period of HBOT prior to endometrium transformation contributes to increased endometrial thickness and facilitates blastocyst implantation in patients with resistant thin endometrium during FET treatments.Trial registrationThe trial was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration no. ChiCTR2300072831, retrospectively registered).

Predictors of same day cancellation of elective surgery.

Same day cancellations of surgery have adverse effects on both patients and health care systems. To date, the majority of research has evaluated reasons for same day cancellation, and relatively little is known about risk factors for cancellation. The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate the accuracy of a model for preoperatively predicting which patients are at risk for experiencing same day cancellation. While accurately predicting which patients are likely to experience same day cancellation remains challenging, predictive models may aid in the early identification of patients at risk for cancellation. Future studies are required to assess whether the use of predictive analytics leads to reduced cancellation rates in practice.

Cancellation of Elective Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, a Tertiary Hospital Experience.

Cancellation of elective surgery is said to occur when a patient's name appears on the operation list, but the operation is not done on the intended date. Cancelling elective surgeries is a long-standing problem faced by many countries worldwide. Reasons for cancellation of surgery vary from one hospital to another. The goal of this study was to identify factors associated with the cancellation of scheduled Oral and maxillofacial surgeries in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. Cancellations of elective scheduled operations from January 2021 to July 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. All cancellations were recorded in a predesigned form which included information about the age of the patient, hospital identification number, date of cancellation, type of operation, the Surgeon and the Anaesthetist, preoperative anaesthetic evaluations, any associated medical problems and the presumed reasons for cancellations for in-patients and day case surgery. Patients who died before the time of their scheduled surgery were excluded. 80 patients had their operation cancelled on the day of surgery, and the rate of cancellations was 44.2%. The most common causes of cancellations were patient-related (50%), accounting for up to half of the cancellations. The major reason for cancellation under the administrative category was insufficient time in the theatre to complete the operation list (18.8%). Financial constraint (16.3%) on the day of the surgery was noted more among planned day case procedures and delayed laboratory results (12.5%); oftentimes, covid test results were the major reasons for cancellations under the patient-factors category. The rate of cancellation in this study was high, most of which are patients related. Administrative-related reasons were also identified. However, in most cases, these cancellations can be avoided.

The safety of telemedicine clinics as an alternative to in-person preoperative assessment for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with benign gallbladder disease: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundThe telemedicine clinic for follow up after minor surgical procedures in general surgery is now ubiquitously considered a standard of care. However, this method of consultation is not the mainstay for preoperative assessment and counselling of patients for common surgical procedures such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of assessing and counselling patients in the telemedicine clinic without a physical encounter for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who were booked for laparoscopic cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder disease via general surgery telemedicine clinics from March 2020 to November 2021. The primary outcome was the cancellation rate on the day of surgery. The secondary outcomes were complication and readmission rates, with Clavein-Dindo grade III or greater deemed clinically significant. We performed a subgroup analysis on the cases cancelled on the day of surgery in an attempt to identify key reasons for cancellation following virtual clinic assessment.ResultsWe identified 206 cases booked for laparoscopic cholecystectomy from telemedicine clinics. 7% of patients had a cancellation on the day of surgery. Only one such cancellation was deemed avoidable as it may have been prevented by a face-to-face assessment. Severe postoperative adverse events (equal to or greater than Clavien-Dindo grade III) were observed in 1% of patients, and required re-intervention. 30-day readmission rate was 11%.ConclusionsOur series showed that it is safe and feasible to assess and counsel patients for laparoscopic cholecystectomy remotely with a minimal cancellation rate on the day of operation. Further work is needed to understand the effect of remote consultations on patient satisfaction, its environmental impact, and possible benefits to healthcare economics to support its routine use in general surgery.

The impact of a preanesthesia assessment clinic on scheduled elective case cancelations at a Thai university hospital.

Elective surgical case cancelations negatively impact healthcare systems and patient dissatisfaction. Preanesthesia assessment clinics (PACs) have been established in many countries to facilitate preoperative medical optimization. However, their benefits for elective procedure cancelations in Thailand have not been formally assessed. This study evaluated the impact of a PAC on scheduled elective surgical case cancelations at a Thai university hospital. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted for the period covering from May 2016 to April 2017. We included all scheduled elective surgical cases at Siriraj Hospital, Thailand, canceled on the day of surgery. The cancelation incidences of patients attending and not attending the PAC were compared. Cancellation reasons were categorized as "patient issue," "hospital-facility issue," "surgeon issue," "anesthesiologist issue," "medical condition," and "miscellaneous." The PAC patients' reasons were rigorously explored to determine their preventability. There were 30,351 scheduled elective procedures during the study period. The case-cancelation incidences were 0.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7-1.2%) for patients visiting the PAC and 5.9% (95% CI, 5.6-6.3%) for those who did not. Medical conditions were the most common reason for cancelation for non-PAC patients (27.3%), whereas hospital-facility issues were the most frequent for PAC patients (43.8%). The cancelation rate for patient issues was significantly lower in the PAC group (4.2% vs 20.7%; P < .05). Thirty-one (64.6%) of the PAC patients' cancelations were potentially preventable. Of the 15 PAC patient cancelations related to medical conditions, 12 were for patients with a history of acute illness and were determined to be nonpreventable. Visiting the PAC was significantly associated with a decreased elective-case cancelation rate. Cancellations were most frequently related to hospital-facility issues for patients visiting the PAC and medical conditions for those who did not. Some PAC patient cancelations for medical conditions involved unpreventable acute patient illnesses. Clinical Trials.gov (NCT02816281).

Cluster analysis reveals a homogeneous subgroup of PCOS women with metabolic disturbance associated with adverse reproductive outcomes.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous and complex reproductive endocrinological disease that could lead to infertility. There were many attempts to classify PCOS but it remains unclear whether there is a specific subgroup of PCOS that is associated with the best or worst reproductive outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Infertile PCOS patients who underwent their first cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University from January 2019 to December 2021 were included. Basic clinical and laboratory information of each individual were extracted. Unsupervised cluster analysis was performed. Controlled ovarian stimulation parameters and reproductive outcomes were collected and compared between the different clusters of PCOS. Our analysis clustered women with PCOS into "reproductive", "metabolic", and "balanced" clusters based on nine traits. Reproductive group was characterized by high levels of testosterone (T), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), follicular stimulation hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). Metabolic group was characterized by high levels of body mass index (BMI), fasting insulin, and fasting glucose. Balanced group was characterized by low levels of the aforementioned reproductive and metabolic parameters, except for SHBG. Compared with PCOS patients in reproductive and balanced clusters, those in metabolic cluster had lower rates of good quality day 3 embryo and blastocyst formation. Moreover, PCOS patients in the reproductive cluster had greater fresh embryo transfer (ET) cancelation rate and clinical pregnancy rate after fresh ET than metabolic cluster (odds ratio [OR] = 3.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.77-6.44, and OR = 6.19, 95% CI: 1.58-24.24, respectively). And compared with PCOS of metabolic cluster, PCOS of balanced cluster also had higher chance for fresh ET cancelation (OR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.26-6.35). Our study suggested that PCOS patients in metabolic cluster may be associated with adverse reproductive outcomes and might need individualized treatment and careful monitoring before and during ART.

A Simulation Study for a Safe Reopening and Operation of the Trager Institute Optimal Aging Clinic During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In this study, we develop a discrete-event simulation model to aid the Trager Institute, an outpatient clinic for optimal aging located in Louisville, Kentucky, in determining their safe reopening strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic and operational strategies beyond the pandemic. The model studies the movement of several groups of people (e.g., healthcare providers, navigators, patients, staff) and the operations of the clinic’s primary and ancillary services. The main objective is to ensure that the clinic operates safely while COVID-19 restrictions are in place and to improve its providers’ utilization rate. The model simulates people’s movement in the clinic, monitors the congestion level in four common areas, and identifies the peak hours during a day. We also study various overbooking and telehealth policies to overcome high cancelation or no-show rates and low utilization for providers. Simulation results using AnyLogic have helped the management decide to reopen the in-person services during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the safe congestion level demonstrated by the simulation. Insights on optimal overbooking and telehealth policies can shed a broader light on other healthcare organizations. History: This paper was refereed.

206 Impact of theatre cancellation on surgical training

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant consequences on healthcare delivery worldwide, with a particular impact on surgical services and training. In preparation for the influx of COVID cases, non-urgent appointments, investigations, and operations were cancelled. As a result of the cancellation of cases, elective and emergency case exposure was inevitably reduced. Over 65 percent of trainees lost all training and only 9% reported that they would meet the essential skills. One in eight trainees in their final year have had their training extended due to failure to meet curricular requirements, while a quarter of trainees reach their final year behind their planned training trajectory. The primary objective was to identify the case with the highest cancellation rate to perceive its impact on surgical training. Method This is a retrospective study of data gathered by Department of eHealth in a tertiary hospital. Data collected from December 2020 to September 2021were analysed. Results 121 elective cases were cancelled over the course of 9.5 months. More than thirty types of elective operations were cancelled, with Laparoscopic cholecystectomy - 33 (27.3%) and EUA rectum - 10 (8.3%) being the two most often cancelled procedures. Twenty percent (n=20) of the cancelled cases were malignant. Conclusion The recovery of surgical training requires a joint effort from all – the trainers, the trainees and those involved in the delivery of surgical training. The training opportunities for trainees of any grade should be maximised in the theatre setting along with other training opportunities focussed on specific index procedure.

Elective surgery cancellations due to suboptimal medicine management: a retrospective single site study

AbstractBackgroundElective surgery cancellations and delays are associated with negative financial and staffing ramifications, adverse clinical outcomes, and poor patient outcomes. The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, performs approximately 15 000 elective surgeries per year and medication optimisation is pivotal in preparing a patient for surgery to avoid same day of surgery theatre cancellations. Ideally, patients are seen in a multidisciplinary pre‐admission clinic for optimisation of their health and medicines, and to provide education regarding their surgery.AimTo calculate the incidence of elective surgery cancellations due to medication misadventure over a 12‐month period.MethodA retrospective audit at a tertiary Queensland Hospital was conducted over a 12‐month period (April 2021–March 2022), including patients who had their elective surgeries cancelled. The medical records from the hospital's digital databases for patients who were identified by the hospital coding service as ‘unfit for surgery’ were screened to see if the reason for the surgery cancellation was due to medication misadventure. The project was reviewed by the Metro South Human Research Ethics Committee and deemed exempt from further review (Ref No: CM20221651).ResultsThe surgery cancellation rate was 50% (n = 6626 cancelled surgeries from 13 255 total surgeries booked). The same day of surgery cancellation rate was 5.5% (n = 734). Medication misadventure resulting from suboptimal medicine management was responsible for 1% (n = 66 out of 6626 surgery cancellations). A total of 41% (n = 27) of patients had their surgery cancelled ahead of time by the pharmacist due to a medication not being withheld for long enough, which prevented a same‐day cancellation.ConclusionHaving a pre‐admission clinic pharmacist improves preoperative medication optimisation and has been proven to avoid same‐day cancellations.

Capacity and surgery partitioning: An approach for improving surgery scheduling in the inpatient surgical department

In hospitals, efficiently scheduling operating rooms (ORs) is challenging, especially for an inpatient surgical department where complex and long surgeries with different surgery types are often performed in combination with surgeries on emergency patients. Although pooling ORs for surgeries could counter various uncertainties, all ORs might be disrupted. To improve the scheduling of the inpatient department, this paper develops a promising scheduling approach (namely OR capacity and surgery partitioning) which separates in surgery scheduling the more predictable elective surgeries (MPS) from the less predictable elective and emergency surgeries. To study the effect of partitioning, we apply Markov decision process, linear programming and simulation models, while incorporating surgeons’ preferences for using one OR for a whole day. Based on extensive numerical experiments, we report important findings. First, the partitioning can considerably reduce the cancellation rate without damaging the OR utilization. Meanwhile, an overflow must be allowed to schedule elective patients across OR subgroups rather than sticking to complete partitioning. Second, to better partition surgeries into subgroups, it is important to consider both surgery duration length and variability, while those surgeries with a better bin-packing nature should be given more consideration than those with a smaller surgery duration variability in the MPS ORs. Third, the benefit of partitioning increases with a larger surgery duration uncertainty and a growing non-elective demand. This framework is an easy-to-implement way to manage various variabilities and complexities in the inpatient surgical department. Our findings can help OR managers to better perform partitioning and guide surgery scheduling.