General Plastic Surgery Research Articles

Plastic surgery minor procedure room: a cost-effective way to operate

Introduction: Surgery using local anaesthetic without sedation outside of a formal operating theatre is particularly applicable to plastic surgery. This paper reviews the benefits and pitfalls of a minor procedure room as a novel solution to tackling the emergency and elective surgery caseload in a tertiary metropolitan plastic surgery unit. Methods: From February 2022 until February 2023 local anaesthetic only procedures were undertaken in a minor procedure room. Patients included ranged from 18 to 88 years of age. Outcomes included complications and procedure failure requiring repeat procedure in an operating theatre. Estimated cost savings were calculated according to staff wages and do not account for consumables. Estimated duration of minor procedure room operation was one hour per case. Results: Overall, 350 patients (285 male, 65 female) underwent local anaesthetic only procedures in the minor procedure room. The mean age of patients was 42. There were 309 hand/upper limb cases, 31 general plastic surgery cases, two skin cancer excisions and eight lower limb cases. There were no complications and no procedure failures. The average cost saved per procedure is estimated to be AU$486 with an average reduction of 44 theatre sessions per year. Conclusion: A minor procedure room for local anaesthetic only surgery can generate significant cost and time savings for a hospital when implemented and managed appropriately. This model has been successful in our institution and can likely be replicated in other centres.

Characterizing physician directory data quality: variation by specialty, state, and insurer

BackgroundAs U.S. legislators are urged to combat ghost networks in behavioral health and address the provider data quality issue, it becomes important to better characterize the variation in data quality of provider directories to understand root causes and devise solutions. Therefore, this manuscript examines consistency of address, phone number, and specialty information for physician entries from 5 national health plan provider directories by insurer, physician specialty, and state.MethodsWe included all physicians in the Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) found in ≥ 2 health insurer physician directories across 5 large national U.S. health insurers. We examined variation in consistency of address, phone number, and specialty information among physicians by insurer, physician specialty, and state.ResultsOf 634,914 unique physicians in the PECOS database, 449,282 were found in ≥ 2 directories and included in our sample. Across insurers, consistency of address information varied from 16.5 to 27.9%, consistency of phone number information varied from 16.0 to 27.4%, and consistency of specialty information varied from 64.2 to 68.0%. General practice, family medicine, plastic surgery, and dermatology physicians had the highest consistency of addresses (37-42%) and phone numbers (37-43%), whereas anesthesiology, nuclear medicine, radiology, and emergency medicine had the lowest consistency of addresses (11-21%) and phone numbers (9-14%) across health insurer directories. There was marked variation in consistency of address, phone number, and specialty information by state.ConclusionsIn evaluating a large national sample of U.S. physicians, we found minimal variation in provider directory consistency by insurer, suggesting that this is a systemic problem that insurers have not solved, and considerable variation by physician specialty with higher quality data among more patient-facing specialties, suggesting that physicians may respond to incentives to improve data quality. These data highlight the importance of novel policy solutions that leverage technology targeting data quality to centralize provider directories so as not to not reinforce existing data quality issues or policy solutions to create national and state-level standards that target both insurers and physician groups to maximize quality of provider information.

Accuracy and Bias in Artificial Intelligence Chatbot Recommendations for Oculoplastic Surgeons.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of and bias in recommendations for oculoplastic surgeons from three artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot systems. Methods ChatGPT, Microsoft Bing Balanced, and Google Bard were asked for recommendations for oculoplastic surgeons practicing in 20 cities with the highest population in the United States. Three prompts were used: "can you help me find (an oculoplastic surgeon)/(a doctor who does eyelid lifts)/(an oculofacial plastic surgeon) in (city)." Results A total of 672 suggestions were made between (oculoplastic surgeon; doctor who does eyelid lifts; oculofacial plastic surgeon); 19.8% suggestions were excluded, leaving 539 suggested physicians. Of these, 64.1% were oculoplastics specialists (of which 70.1% were American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) members); 16.1% were general plastic surgery trained, 9.0% were ENT trained, 8.8% were ophthalmology but not oculoplastics trained, and 1.9% were trained in another specialty. 27.7% of recommendations across all AI systems were female. Conclusions Among the chatbot systems tested, there were high rates of inaccuracy: up to 38% of recommended surgeons were nonexistent or not practicing in the city requested, and 35.9% of those recommended as oculoplastic/oculofacial plastic surgeons were not oculoplastics specialists. Choice of prompt affected the result, with requests for "a doctor who does eyelid lifts"resulting in more plastic surgeons and ENTs and fewer oculoplastic surgeons. It is important to identify inaccuracies and biases in recommendations provided by AI systems as more patients may start using them to choose a surgeon.

Investigation of divergent thinking among surgeons and surgeon trainees in Canada (IDEAS): a mixed-methods study

ObjectiveTo assess the creative potential of surgeons and surgeon trainees, as measured by divergent thinking. The secondary objectives were to identify factors associated with divergent thinking, assess confidence in creative...

Effects of Heated Infiltration Solutions and Forced-Air Heating Blankets on Intraoperative Hypothermia During Liposuction: A Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study was conducted to compare the effects of heat preservation by two recommended methods, heated infiltration solutions and forced-air heating blankets, in patients undergoing liposuction under general anesthesia. Forty patients were divided into four groups based on whether heated infiltration solutions or forced-air heating blankets were used. Group A received general anesthesia liposuction plastic surgery routine temperature care. Based on the care measures of group A, heated infiltration solutions were used in group B; forced-air heating blanket was used in group C; and heated infiltration solutions and forced-air heating blankets were both used in group D. The primary end point was intraoperative and perioperative temperature measured with an infrared tympanic membrane thermometer. Secondary end points included surgical outcomes, subjective experience, and adverse events. Compared with group A, the intraoperative body temperatures of groups B, C, and D were significantly higher, indicating that the two intervention methods were helpful on increasing the core body temperature. Pairwise comparisons of these three groups showed that there was no significant difference between group C and group D. However, using forced-air heating blankets had a marked effect compared with using heated infiltration solutions alone at three time points. The same trend could be seen in other surgical outcomes. Heated infiltration solutions and forced-air heating blankets could reduce the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia and improve patients' prognosis after liposuction under general anesthesia. Compared with the heated infiltration fluid, the forced-air heating blanket may have a better thermal insulation effect. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Venture Capital's Role in Advancing Plastic Surgery.

Abstract Plastic surgery sector has experienced significant growth, driven by an aging population's demand for minimally invasive procedures and technological innovation. Despite this, the role of venture capital (VC) in driving innovation within this sector remains underexplored. This study aimed to analyze the trends in VC investments in plastic surgery over the last 20 years, providing insights into the financial landscape of the sector. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted on VC investments in plastic and aesthetic surgery companies worldwide from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2023, utilizing PitchBook (Seattle, WA). Companies were categorized into therapeutic and thematic areas, with investment trends analyzed by deal and company values, average investment size, and total capital invested. The study found 543 VC firms made 402 investments in 163 companies, totaling $1.98 billion, increasing by 15,143% over the study period, and focused on general plastic surgery and facial cosmetic procedures. Significant investments were also made in surgical software (25.3%), biotechnology and drug discovery (22.8%), and clinic and outpatient services (20.3%). Geographically, most investments were made in companies registered in Asia (45%) and North America (33.2%). VC investments have contributed to the growth and innovation in the plastic surgery sector, particularly in minimally invasive devices. The focus on general and facial cosmetic surgery aligns with market demand trends for aesthetic procedures. These findings underscore the importance of VC in shaping the future of plastic surgery and suggest the potential for strategic investments to further drive innovation. Level of Evidence:5 (Diagnostic)

Are Gender-Affirming Plastic Surgeons Adequately Compensated? An Analysis of Relative Value Units.

Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) has a complicated history within US health care. As GAS procedures and reimbursement availability continue to uptrend, the present study aims to investigate whether compensation is equitable between GAS procedures and general plastic surgery procedures. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all surgeries performed by plastic surgeons from 2016 to 2020. Cases were assigned to the GAS or non-GAS cohort using ICD-10 codes. Duplicate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were removed for analysis. Operative time, total wRVUs, wRVUs per hour (wRVU/h), reoperation/readmission rate, and number of concurrent procedures were compared between the cohorts. A total of 132,319 non-GAS and 3,583 GAS were identified. After duplicate CPT removal, 299 cases (21 unique CPTs) remained in the GAS cohort and 20,022 (37 unique CPTs) in the non-GAS cohort. Operative time was higher in the GAS cohort (262.9 vs 120.7 min, P < 0.001), as were total wRVUs (59.4 vs 21.6, P < 0.001). Reoperation/readmission rate (7.0% vs 6.0%) and wRVU/h (15.8 vs 15.1) were not significantly different (all P > 0.05). There was a positive correlation between total operative time and total wRVUs (P < 0.001) and a negative correlation between total operative time and wRVU/h (P < 0.001). Proportional wRVUs are allocated to gender affirming plastic procedures. However, the RVU scale does not allocate proportional wRVUs to longer operative times for both GAS and general plastic surgeries. Compensation for gender affirming plastic surgeries is higher than that of general plastic surgeries; however, there is no difference in wRVUs per hour on comparison.

Expanding horizons in burn care: a new paradigm for General Surgeons in Brazil.

The role of the burn surgeon in Burn Treatment Centers (BTCs) is crucial for complementing the multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of burn patients. Globally, the areas of General Surgery and Plastic Surgery are the primary surgical specialties dedicated to this function. The structuring of the Burn Patient Care Line in Minas Gerais highlighted the need to expand the "Burn Care" Field of Expertise, extending it to General Surgery. With the inevitable expansion of the Care Line, pioneered by the state of Minas Gerais, to the federal level, the need for specialized surgical training encompasses both the state context and anticipates the national scenario in the short term. Therefore, the expansion of the "Burn Care" Field of Expertise is fundamental to meeting specific demands and improving the quality of care offered to burn patients, in accordance with international standarts.

Aligning our actions with our words: A systematic review of gender and racial diversity in surgical subspecialties.

Persistent racial and gender disparities are prevalent within the higher education and medical training system, notably seen in the underrepresentation of Hispanic or Latinos, Black Americans, and female surgeons compared to their respective population proportions. This study aims to quantify publications addressing ethnic or gender diversity across various surgical specialties, analyze publication trends, and explore specific topics within medical literature. The Database includes PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), we conducted a systematic literature review utilizing the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases. A broad inclusion criterion for both ethnic and gender diversity of plastic surgery, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, dermatology, orthopedic surgery, and gender surgery was utilized. The literature was selected between 2014 and 2024. In the content of our study, diversity in articles was defined as any article that focused on addressing gender or racial/ethnicity in the subspecialty. Of 1529 initially screened articles, 346 were included. Orthopedic surgery had the most diversity publications (n = 86), followed by general surgery (n = 67) and plastic surgery (n = 51). Significant increases in diversity publications were observed across all specialties. Orthopedic surgery showed the highest growth (+0.17 publications/year, p < 0.001), followed by plastic surgery (+0.12, p = 0.002) and general surgery (+0.11, p = 0.003). Race/ethnicity was the primary focus (51.4%), with fewer articles on gender (19.7%) or both (28.9%). Diversity topics included demographics, pipeline/recruitment, application process, training experience, leadership, and workplace treatment. These insights underscore the importance of continued efforts to promote diversity within surgical specialties to enhance patient care and outcomes. Further research and initiatives are needed to ensure equitable representation in surgical fields. Addressing diversity issues in surgical specialties is essential for improving healthcare outcomes and reducing disparities.

Are There Racial Differences in the Rate of Surgical Site Infection Based on Surgical Subspecialty?

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common, morbid post-operative complication. We hypothesized the presence of racial differences in SSI rates, comparing black/African American (BAA) to white non-Hispanic (WNH) patients. Patients and Methods: Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database (2017), BAA and WNH surgery patients across 10 surgical specialties were identified: general surgery (GS), vascular surgery (VS), cardiac surgery (CS), thoracic surgery (TS), orthopedics (OS), neurosurgery (NS), urology (US), otolaryngology (ENT), plastic surgery (PS), and gynecology (GYN). The primary outcome was SSI rate (superficial, deep incisional, or organ/space). The secondary outcome was rate of non-surgical infection. Pearson χ2 and Fisher exact tests were used to test group differences of categorical variables. Continuous variables were tested with the Student t-test, or Mann-Whitney U test, with statistical significance set at a value of p < 0.05. Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to analyze the association between race/ethnicity and the infection outcomes. Results: A total of 740,144 patients were included: 99,425 (13.4%) BAA and 640,749 (86.6%) WNH, distributed as follows; 32,2976 GS, 17,6175 OS, 44,383 VS, 2,227 CS, 9,645 TS, 42,298 NS, 42,726 US, 18,518 ENT, 20,709 PS, and 60,517 GYN cases. Surgical site infection rates were higher among WNH in GS (4.4% vs. 4.1%; p = 0.003) and TS (3.1% vs. 1.7%; p = 0.015); lower in VS (3.2% vs. 4.4%; p < 0.001), OS (1.2% vs.1.6%; p < 0.001), and GYN (2.4% vs. 3%; p < 0.001); and similar between WNH and BAA in ENT (1.8% vs 1.8%; p = 0.76), and US (1.9% vs. 1.9%; p = 0.90). Non-surgical infection was higher in BAA in NS (3.2% vs. 2.5%; p = 0.003), and higher in WNH in GYN (2.6% vs. 2%; p < 0.001), OS (1.7% vs. 1.1%; p < 0.001), US (4.4% vs. 3.6%; p = 0.014), and VS (3.4% vs. 2.6%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Variation exists in SSI rates between WNH and BAA patients among surgical subspecialties. Further research is required to understand these differences and address racial disparities in outcomes.

Career goals of surgeons in Switzerland.

Recent studies from the United States and Germany have shown a general decline in the number of surgical residents, as trainees increasingly prioritize a positive work-life balance. The current study sought to evaluate the career goals of surgeons in Switzerland. Members of the Swiss College of Surgeons, being surgical consultant or attending regardless of specialty, were surveyed online as to their purported career goals, future employment ideals, aspired leadership positions, and managerial training. A total of 269 questionnaires were analysed. Most participants (93%) were board- certified and 30% of participants were female. With regard to desired specialty, 50% of participants intended to pursue a career in visceral surgery followed by general surgery, traumatology, hand and plastic surgery, vascular surgery and thoracic surgery. Regardless of specialty, 53% of respondents strived for the position of senior physician, while 28% indicated a desire to become chief physician. In terms of work environment, most participants preferred to seek employment at a cantonal hospital, followed by a rural hospital, a university hospital, private practice or a non-clinical setting. About half of respondents favoured the option of part time employment of 80% or less and about a quartile intended to retire before 62years of age. The current study found that surgeons in Switzerland remain highly motivated to pursue leadership positions in their respective fields. Going forward, the challenge will lie in reconciling the needs of the respective departments with the personal ambition, career opportunities, and desired work-life balance of young trainees.

Current Practices and Trends of Plastic and Oncoplastic Breast Surgeons in Canada

Background: There is a lack of previous studies investigating oncoplastic practice trends for breast reconstruction in Canada, particularly from the plastic surgeon perspective. Given the rising popularity of oncoplastic techniques, this study aimed to identify current practice trends for breast and plastic surgeons in Canada. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study of breast and plastic surgeons performing oncoplastic surgery across Canada was conducted. Results: Ninety-five surgeons were invited to complete the survey, with 58 respondents (response rate 61%), of which 29 (50.0%) were breast surgeons and 29 (50.0%) were plastic surgeons. Compared to plastic surgeons, breast surgeons performed significantly more level 1 surgeries (27.6 vs 3.45%, P &lt; .001). Plastic surgeons performed more level 2 (37.9% vs 13.8%, P = .0475) and level 3 (31.4% vs 10.3%, P = .00814) surgeries. Breast surgeons identified significant perceived barriers including unfamiliarity with techniques ( P = .00513), adjuvant therapy delays ( P = .00612), lack of plastic surgery support ( P &lt; .001), lack of radiation oncology support ( P = .0485), increased OR time ( P &lt; .001), lack of OHIP billing codes ( P &lt; .001), and post-operative complication management ( P = .0372). Breast surgeon comfort with oncoplastic techniques was not correlated with practice duration (R-square = .037, P-value = .853). Breast surgeon comfort with contralateral surgery was not correlated with practice setting (R-square = .071, P-value = .632). Conclusions: Breast surgeons perceive a lack of training, a lack of support from plastic surgery, concerns regarding appropriate financial remuneration, and worries of increased OR time as barriers in oncoplastic surgery. Collaboration between general breast surgery and plastic surgery is needed for improving training options for oncoplastic surgery in Canada and for providing excellent breast cancer care overall.

Gender Representation Among Major Plastic Surgery Society Achievement Award Recipients.

Purpose: Professional achievement awards are an important factor in recruitment, promotion, and faculty review within academic institutions. Studies have shown that subconscious, gender-based assumptions of individuals and their work in traditionally male-dominated fields lead to more positive evaluations of men than women, a phenomenon present among scientific and medical award committees. This study examined gender representation among recipients of major North American plastic surgery society awards over the last 50 years. Methods: Recipient lists of major achievement awards bestowed by ten American and Canadian plastic surgery societies between 1970 and 2020 were accessed online or by direct contact with the society. Awardee gender, institution affiliation, graduation year, fellowship status, and additional major awards received were recorded. Comparisons were made between gender representation among society presidents, board membership, general society memberships, attending physicians, and plastic surgery residency enrolment. Results: Thirty-two major awards given by ten plastic surgery societies were included. Six hundred and twenty-five awards were conferred, of which 47 recipients were female (7.5%). Of the 121 individuals that received multiple major awards, 8 were female. Two-thirds of female awardees (72%) were clinical plastic surgeons and the remainder were scientists. Over the past 50 years, there has been a gradual increase in the proportion of female award winners. Conclusions: Despite a gradual increase in the proportion of female awardees in major plastic surgery societies, female plastic surgeons remain underrepresented among awardees, with less than 10% of major awards conferred to females.

Comparing Trends in Medicare Reimbursement and Inflation within Plastic Surgery Subspecialties.

Over the past decade across multiple surgical specialties, Medicare reimbursement rates have remained stagnant, failing to keep pace with inflation. An internal comparison of subspecialties within plastic surgery has not yet been attempted. The goal of this study was to investigate the trends in reimbursement from 2010 to 2020 and compare across the subspecialties of plastic surgery. The Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary was used to extract the annual case volume for the top 80% most-billed CPT codes within plastic surgery. Codes were defined into the following subspecialties: microsurgery, craniofacial surgery, breast surgery, hand surgery, and general plastic surgery. The Medicare physician reimbursement was weighted by case volume. The growth rate and compound annual growth rate were calculated and compared against an inflation-adjusted reimbursement value. On average, inflation-adjusted growth in reimbursement for the procedures analyzed in this study was -13.5%. The largest decrease in growth rate was within the field of microsurgery (-19.2%), followed by craniofacial surgery (-17.6%). These subspecialties also had the lowest compound annual growth rate (-2.11% and -1.91%, respectively). For case volumes, microsurgery increased case volumes by an average of 3% per year, whereas craniofacial surgery increased case volumes by an average of 5% per year. After adjusting for inflation, all subspecialties had a decrease in growth rate. This was particularly evident in the fields of craniofacial surgery and microsurgery. Consequently, practice patterns and patient access may be negatively affected. Further advocacy and physician participation in reimbursement rate negotiation may be essential to adjust for variance and inflation.

Trends in ACGME Accreditation of Orthopedic Surgery Fellowship Training.

Currently, most surgeons pursue subspecialty fellowship training. This study answers the following questions: (1) How does the rate of fellowship training in orthopedic surgery compare with that in other surgical specialties? (2) To what extent did adoption of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation change from 2013 to 2021? Orthopedic subspecialties were analyzed for total number of fellowship programs and positions in the 2013 and 2021 Match. Rates of ACGME accreditation were analyzed via chi-square tests. In 2021, orthopedic surgery had the highest rate of fellowship selection (94%) relative to general surgery (77%), ophthalmology (66%), plastic surgery (63%), and otolaryngology (55%). Across all orthopedic subspecialties, the percentage of ACGME accreditation decreased among fellowship programs (53% in 2013 to 48% in 2021, P=.166) and positions (58% in 2013 to 50% in 2021, P<.001). Orthopedic sports medicine had the highest adoption of ACGME accreditation (100%), followed by hand surgery (99%), musculoskeletal oncology (67%), and pediatric orthopedics (56%). Significant increases in the adoption of ACGME accreditation were noted for orthopedic sports medicine (93% in 2013 to 100% in 2021, P=.016) and hand surgery (81% in 2013 to 99% in 2021, P<.001). There was a significant decrease in ACGME accreditation for adult reconstructive orthopedics (40% in 2013 to 24% in 2021, P=.042), driven by the increase in unaccredited fellowship programs. Accreditation of orthopedic subspecialty fellowship training has decreased with respect to the proportion of accredited training positions. More research is needed to understand the benefits of ACGME accreditation for fellowship training in orthopedic surgery. [Orthopedics. 2024;47(1):57-63.].

Recruitment of the Next Generation of Diverse Hand Surgeons.

Hand surgery encompasses a diaspora of pathology and patients, but the surgeons treating this population are not commensurately diverse. A physician population that reflects the population it treats consistently leads to improved patient outcomes. Despite increasing diversity amongst surgeons entering into pipeline specialties such as General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Orthopaedic Surgery, the overall makeup of practicing hand surgeons remains largely homogenous. This article outlines organizations, such as the Perry Initiative, which have increased recruitment of women and underrepresented minorities into pipeline programs. Techniques of minimizing bias and increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups are also discussed.

Informed Consent: Legal Obligation or Cornerstone of the Care Relationship?

The topic of informed consent has become increasingly important in recent decades, both in the ethical-deontological field and as a duty of law. The review covered all sentences issued by the 13th section of the Civil Court of Rome during the period January 2016-December 2020. During this period, 156 judgments were found in which a breach of consent was required; in 24 of these, specific liability was proven, and the corresponding compensation liquidated. Moreover, 80% of the cases concerned the lack of information provided. The most involved branches were those related to surgical areas: general surgery, plastic surgery and aesthetic medicine and orthopaedics. The total amount of compensation paid was EUR 287,144.59. The research carried out has highlighted how, in a broad jurisprudential context, the damage caused by the violation of the right related to informed consent is considered, and how it impacts on the economic compensation of damages. Additionally, it showed that the areas most affected by the information deficit are those related to the performance of surgical activities, which are characterized by greater invasiveness and a higher risk of adverse events. The data reported underline the exigency to consider informed consent not as a mere documentary allegation but as an essential moment in the construction of a valid therapeutic alliance, which is also useful for avoiding unnecessary litigation that is becoming increasingly burdensome for healthcare systems all over the world.

A Decade of Surgery Aboard the U.S. Naval Ship COMFORT (T-AH 20).

The U.S. Naval Ship COMFORT has performed six humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission since 2007. This paper describes the surgical volume per surgical specialty for five missions spanning 19 countries. Raw surgical case logs were analyzed for total case volume, total operating days, unanticipated return to operating room, and percentage of pediatric cases (<18 years old) for each country visited. Total surgical volume for the five missions was 5,142. The countries most frequently visited were Columbia and Haiti with seven and five visits, respectively. General surgery, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery have had consistent volume over time. Orthopedic surgery volume has steadily decreased with the exception of the 2018 mission. As volume in military treatment facilities declines, alternative sources of surgical volume for military surgeons are being examined. This paper highlights the historical volume which can inform future personnel planning requirements of U.S. Naval Ship COMFORT missions. With the exception of orthopedic surgery, surgical volume has remained consistent over the last decade. For future best practice, historical case data should be used to determine staffing needs on hospital ships and case logs and operating procedures and follow-up protocols should be standardized.

Comparing the Bed Occupancy Rate for January 2022 of Various Departments at Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi Pakistan

Objective: To compare the bed occupancy rates of various departments of Holy Family Hospital during January 2022. Materials &amp; Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was done to determine and compare the Bed Occupancy Rates (BOR) of January 2022 from numerous departments of Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi. Medicine &amp; Allied departments in our study were those of Medicine, Nephrology and Paediatrics. Surgery and Allied departments were comprised of General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Gynecology, Obstetrics, ENT, Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery. No. of beds for Medicine and Surgery &amp; Allied departments are denoted by “n”. Data was analysed by Microsoft Excel 2010. Data was also gathered from intensive care units of the hospital. BOR% of each department and mean BOR were calculated. Difference between Mean BOR ± SD of Medicine &amp; Allied and Surgery &amp; Allied was statistically confirmed by applying independent sample t-test. P ≤ 0.05 was taken as significant. 95% CI Results: Mean BOR of hospital wards was 97.6%. The greatest BOR was reported from Plastic Surgery department (154%) followed by that from Paediatrics (128%). Nephrology and Obstetrics with same BOR (121%) were ranked third. Mean BOR of Medicine &amp; Allied departments was 108.7 ± 27.59 while that of Surgery &amp; Allied was 93.4 ± 35.79. This difference of mean BOR was statistically significant (P = 0.000; 95% CI, 9.4 – 21.2). The crowning of BOR from Pediatric and Neonatal ICU was acknowledged with 247% and 223.10% respectively. The female patients in both medical and surgical departments were greater in magnitude than males. Conclusion: BOR of public sector teaching hospital is quite enormous that needs attention of policy makers for diminution.

Comparing the Bed Occupancy Rate for January 2022 of Various Departments at Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi Pakistan

Objective: To compare the bed occupancy rates of various departments of Holy Family Hospital during January 2022. Materials &amp; Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was done to determine and compare the Bed Occupancy Rates (BOR) of January 2022 from numerous departments of Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi. Medicine &amp; Allied departments in our study were those of Medicine, Nephrology and Paediatrics. Surgery and Allied departments were comprised of General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Gynecology, Obstetrics, ENT, Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery. No. of beds for Medicine and Surgery &amp; Allied departments are denoted by “n”. Data was analysed by Microsoft Excel 2010. Data was also gathered from intensive care units of the hospital. BOR% of each department and mean BOR were calculated. Difference between Mean BOR ± SD of Medicine &amp; Allied and Surgery &amp; Allied was statistically confirmed by applying independent sample t-test. P ≤ 0.05 was taken as significant. 95% CI Results: Mean BOR of hospital wards was 97.6%. The greatest BOR was reported from Plastic Surgery department (154%) followed by that from Paediatrics (128%). Nephrology and Obstetrics with same BOR (121%) were ranked third. Mean BOR of Medicine &amp; Allied departments was 108.7 ± 27.59 while that of Surgery &amp; Allied was 93.4 ± 35.79. This difference of mean BOR was statistically significant (P = 0.000; 95% CI, 9.4 – 21.2). The crowning of BOR from Pediatric and Neonatal ICU was acknowledged with 247% and 223.10% respectively. The female patients in both medical and surgical departments were greater in magnitude than males. Conclusion: BOR of public sector teaching hospital is quite enormous that needs attention of policy makers for diminution.