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Erschienen in: Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery 1/2009

01.01.2009 | Original Article

Impact of clinical pathways in surgery

verfasst von: Markus K. Müller, Konstantin J. Dedes, Daniel Dindo, Stefan Steiner, Dieter Hahnloser, Pierre-Alain Clavien

Erschienen in: Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery | Ausgabe 1/2009

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Abstract

Background

One strategy to reduce the consumption of resources associated to specific procedures is to utilize clinical pathways, in which surgical care is standardized and preset by determination of perioperative in-hospital processes. The aim of this prospective study was to establish the impact of clinical pathways on costs, complication rates, and nursing activities.

Method

Data was prospectively collected for 171 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (n = 50), open herniorrhaphy (n = 56), and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 65).

Results

Clinical pathways reduced the postoperative hospital stay by 28% from a mean of 6.1 to 4.4 days (p < 0.001), while the 30-day readmission rate remained unchanged (0.5% vs. 0.45%). Total mean costs per case were reduced by 25% from € 6,390 to € 4,800 (p < 0.001). Costs for diagnostic tests were reduced by 33% (p < 0.001). Nursing hours decreased, reducing nursing costs by 24% from € 1,810 to € 1,374 (p < 0.001). A trend was noted for lower postoperative complication rates in the clinical pathway group (7% vs. 14%, p = 0.07).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates clinically and economically relevant benefits for the utilization of clinical pathways with a reduction in use of all resource types, without any negative impact on the rate of complications or re-hospitalization.
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Metadaten
Titel
Impact of clinical pathways in surgery
verfasst von
Markus K. Müller
Konstantin J. Dedes
Daniel Dindo
Stefan Steiner
Dieter Hahnloser
Pierre-Alain Clavien
Publikationsdatum
01.01.2009
Verlag
Springer-Verlag
Erschienen in
Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery / Ausgabe 1/2009
Print ISSN: 1435-2443
Elektronische ISSN: 1435-2451
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-008-0352-0

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