Anesthesia Services Outside of the Operating Room
Anesthesia Services Outside of the Operating Room
In January 2000, Primary Children´s Medical Center (PCMC) nurses and physicians of specific disciplines including hematology/oncology, surgery, Emergency Department (ED), and anesthesia, identified a need to provide general anesthesia for children undergoing procedures outside of the operating room. This need was based upon two factors: (a) limited availability of the operating room, and (b) lack of proper monitoring of children receiving conscious sedation for painful procedures in PCMC clinics. In September 2000, the Rapid Treatment Unit (RTU) service was developed to provide cost-effective, efficient, patient/family-centered care for a variety of procedures. With limited literature on the subject of anesthesia services outside of the operating room, many hours of planning, education, and organizing occurred to develop this unique service. Parents have reported satisfaction with the service verbally and through an anonymous survey. Increasing numbers of patients seeking services from Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, and Montana indicate a need for service expansion within the five-state region surrounding Salt Lake City. The RTU Anesthesia service is an important asset to PCMC and continues to expand to provide safe, efficient health care for children.
Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC) is a 232-bed facility that serves as a Trauma-1 center for the largest geographical area in the United States, including Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Nevada. The Primary Children's Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints founded PCMC in 1922. In 1975, PCMC became part of Intermountain Healthcare. The Rapid Treatment Unit (RTU) Anesthesia area, established in September 2000, offers a unique service to the five-state-region for children undergoing procedures performed under general anesthesia outside of the operating room. Because of the increasing number of patients seen from surrounding states, this service was developed by PCMC's physicians and nurses to improve cost effectiveness by decreasing length of stay, improving time-management, and increasing family involvement and efficiency.
This service occurs within PCMC's Rapid Treatment Unit (RTU), a 24-hour, 25-bed occupancy, extended care unit. The RTU anesthesia team has been providing anesthesia services since September 2000 and continues to improve as adjustments are made to meet the demands of our patient population and evolving patient care goals. Early in 2001, parents (N = 110) were asked to compare their experiences through a five-question parent satisfaction survey designed for the RTU anesthesia area, to other forms of sedation, operating room experiences, and personal expectations with sedation. Parents were asked to complete the survey prior to discharge. Sixty-six parents (a 60% response rate) of the RTU anesthesia patients completed the survey. Overall satisfaction with the experience was high, with 89% of respondents reporting superior or above average satisfaction (see Figure 1). Currently, parents continue to verbalize their satisfaction with cost effective, efficient care, parental participation, friendly atmosphere, and means to a pain free procedure for their child (see Figure 2).
(Enlarge Image)
Figure 1.
Parent Satisfaction Survey
(Enlarge Image)
Figure 2.
Anesthesiologist preparing for induction with the patient and her mother
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
In January 2000, Primary Children´s Medical Center (PCMC) nurses and physicians of specific disciplines including hematology/oncology, surgery, Emergency Department (ED), and anesthesia, identified a need to provide general anesthesia for children undergoing procedures outside of the operating room. This need was based upon two factors: (a) limited availability of the operating room, and (b) lack of proper monitoring of children receiving conscious sedation for painful procedures in PCMC clinics. In September 2000, the Rapid Treatment Unit (RTU) service was developed to provide cost-effective, efficient, patient/family-centered care for a variety of procedures. With limited literature on the subject of anesthesia services outside of the operating room, many hours of planning, education, and organizing occurred to develop this unique service. Parents have reported satisfaction with the service verbally and through an anonymous survey. Increasing numbers of patients seeking services from Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, and Montana indicate a need for service expansion within the five-state region surrounding Salt Lake City. The RTU Anesthesia service is an important asset to PCMC and continues to expand to provide safe, efficient health care for children.
Introduction
Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC) is a 232-bed facility that serves as a Trauma-1 center for the largest geographical area in the United States, including Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Nevada. The Primary Children's Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints founded PCMC in 1922. In 1975, PCMC became part of Intermountain Healthcare. The Rapid Treatment Unit (RTU) Anesthesia area, established in September 2000, offers a unique service to the five-state-region for children undergoing procedures performed under general anesthesia outside of the operating room. Because of the increasing number of patients seen from surrounding states, this service was developed by PCMC's physicians and nurses to improve cost effectiveness by decreasing length of stay, improving time-management, and increasing family involvement and efficiency.
This service occurs within PCMC's Rapid Treatment Unit (RTU), a 24-hour, 25-bed occupancy, extended care unit. The RTU anesthesia team has been providing anesthesia services since September 2000 and continues to improve as adjustments are made to meet the demands of our patient population and evolving patient care goals. Early in 2001, parents (N = 110) were asked to compare their experiences through a five-question parent satisfaction survey designed for the RTU anesthesia area, to other forms of sedation, operating room experiences, and personal expectations with sedation. Parents were asked to complete the survey prior to discharge. Sixty-six parents (a 60% response rate) of the RTU anesthesia patients completed the survey. Overall satisfaction with the experience was high, with 89% of respondents reporting superior or above average satisfaction (see Figure 1). Currently, parents continue to verbalize their satisfaction with cost effective, efficient care, parental participation, friendly atmosphere, and means to a pain free procedure for their child (see Figure 2).
(Enlarge Image)
Figure 1.
Parent Satisfaction Survey
(Enlarge Image)
Figure 2.
Anesthesiologist preparing for induction with the patient and her mother