THE USE OF CRITICAL PATHS TO IMPROVE POST-OPERATIVE VARIANCES

Abstract

Critical paths are used to supply standard quality of perioperative management to patients. Twelve kinds of CPs were used for 256 patients from April 2002 to March 2003.
Five patients were able to suspend CPs early ; we analyzed the variance factors in these patients. Complication occurred during surgery in two patients. The operative procedure was altered in one patient. Two patients did not need to continue CPs because of early discharge from the hospital ; it is supposed that these two discharged patients completed their CPs by education from the staff or by change of CP. However, because of post-operative variances, it will be necessary to use new CPs for patients with severe complications or altered operative procedures.