Preoperative Clinics

Preoperative evaluation clinics have been shown to enhance operating room efficiency, decrease day-of-surgery cancellations, reduce hospital costs, and improve the quality of patient care. Although programs differ in staffing, structure, financial support, and daily operations, they share the common goal of preoperative risk reduction in order for patients to proceed safely through the perioperative period. Effective preoperative evaluation occurs if processes are standardized to ensure clinical, regulatory, and accreditation guidelines are met while keeping medical optimization and patient satisfaction at the forefront. Although no universally accepted standard model exists, there are key components to a successful preoperative process.