Standardising Post-operative Care Documentation in Spinal Surgery through a Simple, Innovative, Quality Improvement Process 

Description

The presentation features Callum Edmonds, a Foundation Year 1 (F1) doctor in South Yorkshire, discussing a quality improvement initiative aimed at standardizing post-operative care documentation in spinal surgery. He highlights increasing confusion and requests for clarification regarding post-operative care instructions that could compromise patient safety and extend hospital stays, particularly among junior doctors covering multiple subspecialties.



The presentation details the methodologies used, including process mapping, driver diagrams, and stakeholder analysis, to identify key areas for improvement in post-operative documentation. The orthopedic team collaborated with allied healthcare professionals to create a new standardized template for post-operative care, which was incorporated into existing surgical software to enhance accessibility.



After implementing the template, audits were conducted over a year, showing significant improvements in compliance with the new documentation criteria. However, a follow-up audit at two years indicated a decline in compliance, attributed to the integration of new staff members who were unaware of the template. The initiative was adjusted by introducing a 16th criterion and ensuring all new staff had access to the documentation.



The presentation concludes with perspectives on the vital role of stakeholder engagement and iterative processes in the success of the initiative, alongside aspirations for national standards to further improve post-operative care.

Specialties