Surgical departments are simultaneously the major source of investment, and the greatest source of revenue for most hospitals. However, it is known that between 10 and 40 % of elective surgeries are cancelled on the day of surgery, or the day before. Furthermore, the causes for elective surgery cancellation are diverse and their reason may be related to the hospital, or to the patient. It is argued that most cancellations are due to information that existed prior to surgery, but was not available when required.
The project aim is to reduce the elective surgery cancellations, by studying pre-operative planning and determine if it may be moved from the hospital to the patient at home through electronic collaboration. We will explore if surgical patients and health personnel, at the University Hospital of North Norway, can collaborate in a virtual team while the patient is still at home.
An interdisciplinary research group will answer the research questions from patient, medical, organizational, and technological perspectives. A prototype will be developed, and implemented, to be used in a randomized controlled trial that will study eTeam Surgery's effects on elective surgery cancellations.