What to Know About Perioperative Consulting
An operation is a serious matter. Each year, many people will undergo an operation. Operations are vitally important. A surgical procedure may be used under many varied circumstances. This includes removing a baby quickly from a mother’s womb. It also includes operating on someone in the aftermath of an accident. Doctors are often called upon to make important decisions and make them as quickly as possible. During the course of operation, several people may be involved in the procedure. While some operations are performed in the field in the aftermath of an injury, in many other cases the operation is performed in an operating room. This is a room that has been specifically dedicated solely for this purpose. The goal here is to operate as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Doctors want to get surgery done and make sure that the intervention they are conducting leads to a good patient outcome.
Perioperative Periods
The term perioperative refers to the three stages of the operative procedure. In general, this starts with the preoperative phase in which the person is prepared for a surgical procedure. This stage is followed by what is known as the intraoperative phase during which the operation takes place. After the operation is completed, there’s a third stage. This is the postoperative phase where there patient recovers from the surgical procedure. This entire process can take several hours or even as long as several days depending on the length of the procedure, any complications and the need for additional care. During each phase of the operative process, many people may be involved in making sure that the patient is properly prepared for the procedure. The same is true of the two remaining stages. At each stage, many people may be supervising one or more patients in order to make sure they are prepared and fully recovering after the operation is completed.
Making it Better
Even a relatively simple surgical procedure can be highly complicated. Many things can go wrong from the very start. A single mistake can damage the patient. The operation area needs to be heavily organized. Every single person who comes into contact with the patient must be aware of their role in keeping that patient safe. Every detail needs to be correct. For example, the patient’s name and their condition must be made clear before the procedure starts. As the procedure continues, all those involved need to maintain a sterile field. This is a form of infection control that protects the patient from acquiring an infection as a result of the operation.
This is where working with perioperative consulting can help. Experts understand how to make sure that all patients are protected from the moment they enter the hospital. They know to how set up an presurgical area, make sure the operating room is set up properly and create an area where patients can recover in peace and quiet. The consultants can help with many types of problems that might exist in a given area. For example, the area may have ongoing problems with coordination between departments. Nurses may not quite be communication with all staffers as needed, leading to potentially serious and even life threatening complications for the patients that are under their care. An operating room may not be well organized for the level of patient care desired.
Getting it All in Place
Working with perioperative consultants can change every single aspect of the operating procedure in any medical facility. Experts will come into the space. They’ll examine all procedures related to the process of getting people ready for surgery, getting the surgery done and caring for patients once an operation is completed. Consultants will see how operations are prepared for onsite. They’ll also see what kind of supplies for the operation are available and how they are arranged in the operating theater. Consultants will interview people involved with the operation process directly in order to discover what they do and how they do. After that, they’ll make a report filled with useful recommendations. Perioperative consultants can be employed in setting up an operation room from the start or when the theater is already in place.
