Perceived Impediments to Day Case Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery - What Can Be Done and What Is Being Done?

Description

In this presentation, Sarah Stapley addresses the challenges facing their trust's day surgery pathway for orthopedic trauma patients. She provides background on her qualifications and involvement with the British Orthopaedic Association and BADS Council, emphasizing her experience in both hand surgery and acute trauma. Sarah highlights the increasing pressures on hospital beds, particularly following the COVID pandemic, and stresses the importance of timely management of orthopedic trauma to improve patient outcomes and decrease hospital costs.



She details the results of a study conducted at Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust, analyzing over 2,400 trauma cases from 2022, demonstrating that 22% of trauma patients could effectively be managed through day surgery. Key findings indicate that success rates were especially high for various procedures, including wrist and ankle surgeries. However, several impediments to day surgery were identified, such as patient expectations of inpatient stays, insufficient post-operative physiotherapy availability, and challenges with pain management.



To address these issues, Sarah outlines initiatives to enhance communication and education regarding day surgery pathways, improve analgesia provision, and facilitate collaboration with pharmacy and physiotherapy departments. She emphasizes the need to adjust protocols and enhance resources to manage day-case patients more effectively, instead of viewing surgery as a burden on hospital beds. Sarah concludes by inviting further collaboration through an upcoming day surgery conference organized with BADS and BOA, promoting advancements in trauma care.

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