On-the-Day of Surgery Cancellations of Elective Inpatient Surgeries in King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

On-the-day of surgery, cancellations are used as indicators to measure the efficiency of operating room utilization. The study aimed to measure incidence of on-the-day of surgery cancellation of elective inpatient surgeries and to identify its reasons. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Target population was cancelled elective inpatient operations on-the-day of surgery. Data were collected for the period from July 2007 till March 2008. Data were extracted from the statistics department where the number of scheduled elective surgeries and cancellations were available. Reasons of cancellations were extracted from the incident report and it was cross- checked with the cancellation forms of the operating theatre. Among 1789 scheduled elective surgeries, 196 (11.0%) were cancelled. Reasons of cancellations were hospital-related (57.7%); and patients clinical (25.9%) and non-clinical (16.4%) causes. Avoidable reasons of cancellation were 74.1%. It was concluded that rate of cancellation was relatively high. Majority of cancellation reasons were hospital-related (administrative/ procedural) and patients non- clinical reasons which were potentially avoidable. Accordingly, the hospital should improve communication channels at all levels and define a booking list to reduce rate of cancellation.