eTeam-Surgery - Moving pre-surgical planning from the hospital to the patient at home through electronic collaboration

Description

Surgical departments are simultaneously a major source of investment and the greatest source of revenue for most hospitals. However, between 10 and 40 % of elective surgeries are cancelled on the day of surgery, or the day before. Cancellations may be related to the hospital or to the patient. It is argued that most cancellations are due to information that existed prior to surgery, but was not available when required.

The project aim is to reduce the elective surgery cancellations by studying pre-operative planning and determine if it may be moved from the hospital to the patient at home through electronic collaboration. We will explore if surgical patients and health personnel at the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø can collaborate in a virtual team while the patient is still at home.

An interdisciplinary research group will answer the research questions from patient, medical, organizational, and technological perspectives.

Goals

The aim of the eTeam-surgery project is to reduce elective surgery cancellations by studying pre-operative planning and determine if it may be moved from the hospital to the patient at home through electronic collaboration.