British journal of anaesthesia
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Editorial Comment
Surgery in older patients: learning from shared decision-making in intensive care.
An increasing number of older patients are having surgical treatments. Similar to older patients admitted to intensive care, they present with additional problems including multimorbidity, frailty, and cognitive impairment. In both intensive care and surgical settings, comprehensive assessment can inform targeted interventions and shared decision-making. We explore the challenges faced by older patients, and by the clinicians treating them.
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The response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the approach to patient safety share three important concepts: the challenges of preventing rare events, use of rules, and tolerance for uncertainty. We discuss how each of these ideas can be utilised in perioperative safety to create a high-reliability system.