/ CHHS17/286

Canberra Hospital and Health Services

OperationalProcedure

Day of Surgery Hospital Initiated Postponement and Rescheduling of Surgery on the Elective Waiting List

Contents

Contents

Purpose

Alerts

Scope

Section 1 – Process

Implementation

Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines and Legislation

References

Search Terms

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to describe the process for postponing and rescheduling of elective surgery. Hospital initiated postponements must be minimised.

The decision to postpone must involve the following:

  • Members of the Surgical Team
  • Patient Flow Manager Peri-operative Unit
  • Operating Room Coordinator
  • Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) Peri-operative Unit
  • Assistant Director of Nursing Surgical Bookings
  • Director of Nursing Surgery and Oral Health
  • Executive Director of Surgery and Oral Health

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This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) describes for staff the process to

Scope

Alerts

The Executive Director of Division of Surgery and Oral Health (SAOH) or Delegate must be notified of all elective surgery postponements on the day of surgery prior to postponement.

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Scope

This document pertains to all patients placed on the Elective Surgery Waiting List (ESWL) at Canberra Hospital and Health Services (CHHS).

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Section 1 –Process

If a postponement is to proceed following the decision of senior management then the following steps should be taken:

  • The patient should be given as much notice as possible and advised of the reason for postponement.
  • Patients postponed on the day of theirprocedure must have been notified by a senior member of the surgical team and/or an appropriate peri-operative management staff member. Appropriate senior staff includes the Surgical Consultant, Surgical Registrar, ADON Peri-operative Unit and Patient Flow Manager Peri-operative Unit.
  • Patients must be given the opportunity to discuss with a doctor any medical issues that may arise as a result of the delayin surgery and what they should do if their condition deteriorates.
  • Surgical Bookings will contact postponed patients within 48 hours to reschedule surgery on the next available theatre list appropriate to the patient’s clinical priority.
  • The Peri-operative management team must ensure patients are offered an appropriate level of assistance to manage the inconvenience caused by the postponement. This may include contacting a family member or friend; transport; accommodation; food and access to consumer feedback.
  • Following discharge of the patient, the admissions clerical staff must collate the patient notes and return them to Surgical Bookings. They must also ensure the patient is returned to the Elective Surgery Waiting List.
  • The Peri-operative Patient Flow Manager must advise of elective postponements via email to the SAOH Executive, Access Unit, Surgical Bookings ADON and Surgical Bookings administration staff on the day of postponement with relevant details including:
  • Patient’s name and medical record number
  • Surgeon name
  • Date of postponement
  • Reason for postponement

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Implementation

This procedure will be communicated to relevant staff via team/unit meetings, and will be incorporated into existing education and training programs.

All CHHS staff will receive the monthly DDG Policy alert (via email), which informs CHHS staff of all new and reviewed Policy documents.

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Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines and Legislation

Policies

Waiting Time and Elective Surgery Access Policy

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References

  1. Government of Western Australia department of Health. Elective Surgery Access and Waiting List Management Policy (2015).
  2. NSW Government Health. Waiting Time and Elective Surgery Policy (2012).
  3. Victoria State Government Health and Human Services. Elective Surgery Access Policy (2015).

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Search Terms

Postponement, surgery, elective, rescheduling, elective waiting list

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Disclaimer: This document has been developed by ACT Health, Canberra Hospital and Health Services specifically for its own use. Use of this document and any reliance on the information contained therein by any third party is at his or her own risk and Health Directorate assumes no responsibility whatsoever.

Policy Team ONLY to complete the following:

Date Amended / Section Amended / Divisional Approval / Final Approval
15/11/2017 / Complete Revision / Daniel Wood, ED SOH / CHHS Policy Committee

This document supersedes the following:

Document Number / Document Name
SAOH11:004 / Day of Surgery Hospital Initiated Postponement and Rescheduling of Surgery on the Elective Waiting List
Doc Number / Version / Issued / Review Date / Area Responsible / Page
CHHS17/286 / 1 / 27/11/2017 / 01/10/2021 / SOH – Surgical Bookings / 1 of 4
Do not refer to a paper based copy of this policy document. The most current version can be found on the ACT Health Policy Register