Reduce Pre-Surgery Testing: A Practical Guide
- A customized, team-based strategy significantly reduced unnecessary pre-operative testing for common elective surgeries, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open and led by researchers at...
- The intervention, called Right-Sizing Testing Before Elective Surgery, or RITE-Size, was initially piloted at three hospitals.
- Before the programme's implementation, 68% of healthy patients received at least one unnecessary test, such as an electrocardiogram or a basic metabolic panel, prior to surgery.
Team-Based Strategy Reduces Unnecessary Pre-Surgery Testing
Table of Contents
Reducing Wasteful Testing
A customized, team-based strategy significantly reduced unnecessary pre-operative testing for common elective surgeries, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open and led by researchers at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor.
The RITE-Size Intervention
The intervention, called Right-Sizing Testing Before Elective Surgery, or RITE-Size, was initially piloted at three hospitals. It specifically targeted reducing low-value testing for patients undergoing gallbladder removal, hernia repair, or breast lump removal – procedures generally considered low-risk for healthy individuals.
Before the programme’s implementation, 68% of healthy patients received at least one unnecessary test, such as an electrocardiogram or a basic metabolic panel, prior to surgery. After six months of RITE-Size, this rate decreased to 40%.Notably, one participating hospital almost completely eliminated unnecessary testing.
Collaboration and Tailored Support
The RITE-Size program involved collaboration between pre-operative nurses and surgical team leaders to evaluate the use of 11 routine tests. The program provided education, coaching, regular data reports, and resources specifically tailored to the unique needs of each hospital.
Expansion of the Program
Due to the positive results, the RITE-Size program is now being expanded to 16 additional hospitals across the state of Michigan.