Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2023
HOCUS POCUS: ultrasound beyond regional anesthesia in the ambulatory setting.
Application of ultrasound in clinical anesthesia practice extends beyond regional anesthesia. In this review, we have discussed other point of care applications of ultrasound in perioperative care and anesthetic management with special emphasis on ambulatory practice. ⋯ Perioperative POCUS skill is a natural extension of ultrasound guided regional anesthesia. Utilizing POCUS in the perioperative period would accelerate the level of appropriate care, safety and improve outcomes in ambulatory centers. More anesthesiologists embracing POCUS would enhance patient care in a timely fashion at the ambulatory centers. POCUS in ambulatory practice can be valuable in avoiding delay or cancellation of surgeries and improving patient satisfaction.
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We review current evidence about organizational structures, patient selection criteria, safety measures, economic considerations, quality management, and staffing challenges in ambulatory anesthesia. The focus is on the facilitators and barriers related to the peri-interventional period and the potential concepts and innovations for the future development of ambulatory anesthesia services. ⋯ Ambulatory anesthesia is gaining importance due to advancements in surgical techniques and peri-interventional care. The review highlights the need for addressing challenges related to organizational structures, patient selection, patient safety, economic considerations, quality management, and staffing in ambulatory anesthesia. Understanding and addressing these factors are crucial for promoting the further development and improvement of ambulatory anesthesia services.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2023
ReviewThe future of postoperative vital sign monitoring in general wards: improving patient safety through continuous artificial intelligence-enabled alert formation and reduction.
Monitoring of vital signs at the general ward with continuous assessments aided by artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being explored in the clinical setting. This review aims to describe current evidence for continuous vital sign monitoring (CVSM) with AI-based alerts - from sensor technology, through alert reduction, impact on complications, and to user-experience during implementation. ⋯ The current evidence for AI-aided CSVM suggest a significant role for the technology in reducing the constant 10-30% in-hospital risk of severe postoperative complications. However, large, randomized trials documenting the benefit for patient improvements are still sparse. And the clinical uptake of explainable AI to improve implementation needs investigation.
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Quality indicators are used to monitor the quality and safety of care in ambulatory surgery, a specialty in which major morbidity and mortality remain low. As the demand for safe and cost-effective ambulatory surgical care continues to increase, quality indicators and metrics are becoming critical tools used to provide optimal care for these patients. ⋯ Quality indicators will continue to play a growing role in the monitoring of quality and safety in ambulatory surgery, especially with the trend towards value-based reimbursement models and efficient, cost-effective surgical care. Additionally, quality indicators are useful tools to monitor postoperative patient outcomes and recovery pathways and the efficiency of operating room utilization and scheduling.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2023
ReviewDecision-making in anesthesiology: will artificial intelligence make intraoperative care safer?
This article explores the impact of recent applications of artificial intelligence on clinical anesthesiologists' decision-making. ⋯ To fully realize the benefits of artificial intelligence in anesthesiology, several important considerations must be addressed, including its usability and workflow integration, appropriate level of trust placed on artificial intelligence, its impact on decision-making, the potential de-skilling of practitioners, and issues of accountability. Further research is needed to enhance anesthesiologists' clinical decision-making in collaboration with artificial intelligence.