PubMed2006
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In analogy to industrial process management, clinical pathways have been introduced for operational process organisation in orthopedic and interventional procedures as well as for conservative treatments. Within this study, introduction and continuous, systematic application of clinical pathways at a surgical department of a university hospital was investigated. METHODS: Analysis was performed by IT-based (SAP/i. s. h.med) evaluation of the registered data regarding pathway violations. Additionally, patients' records were matched with the computerized data for quality assurance of pathway documentation. RESULTS: 501 patients were entered in 16 clinical pathways (31 +/- 39 patients per pathway). The mean period from the introduction of a distinct pathway to the data acquisition of the present study ranged from 2 to 14 months (mean 7+/-7.5 months). Pathway violations correlated with the complexity, but not with the period since the pathway was introduced. Organisational reasons next to medical reasons (i. e. delayed gastric function or wound healing) were the most frequent causes for pathway violations. CONCLUSION: Clinical pathways may not only be realised for operative procedures or conservative treatments, but represent a clinical and administrative management instrument at a surgical department of a university hospital for daily work routine. They are suitable as an instrument for clinical quality and risk management, as an economic control instrument in reorganisation phases as well as in the routine of surgical clinics.