Assuming we have done our usual assessment and optimization of risk prior to surgery(stress testing, etc), what information is actually helpful in our pre-op notes?
I usually include the following
- Percentage risk of all and serious complications from the ACS risk calculator Is having this helpful?
- Peri-operative medication recommendations like what to do with the patient's insulin or anticoagulants.
- Any specific management of their chronic problems that will likely need to occur during the post-op period.
- note saying I am happy to manage pain meds after the leave the hospital for chronic pain patients.
Any ophthalmologists want to chime in for cataracts? With this Cochrane review showing that pre-op testing for cataract surgery does not change outcomes I'm not too sure what you would like to see. I probably see 2-3 patients a week for a number of different groups for pre-op cataracts and I assume you just want a note that says "not actively dying" or "still has eye balls"
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