Use of the transurethral prostatectomy clinical path to monitor health outcomes.

PURPOSE

We evaluated the effect on cost and medical care quality of use of the transurethral prostatectomy clinical path.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Results in 100 patients treated when the transurethral prostatectomy clinical path was used were compared to those of 100 treated by the same physicians before implementation of this path.

RESULTS

After implementation of the transurethral prostatectomy clinical path the length of hospital stay was significantly decreased from 5.9 to 5.0 days (p < 0.01) and Foley catheterization time was significantly decreased from 3.13 to 2.84 days (p < 0.01). Antibiotics were routinely used from the day before surgery to the day of hospital discharge as required by patient conditions. Therefore, a shorter hospital stay will significantly decrease the use of antibiotics. After implementation of the clinical path the average admission charges were decreased significantly by 17% (p < 0.01). Although some results from use of this path will not significantly affect costs, they will reflect some quality improvement. The effect of clinical path implementation on length of hospital stay between patients treated by junior and senior attending physicians was not significant. However, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) between results obtained by junior and senior attending physicians regarding average admission charges.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of the transurethral prostatectomy clinical path can improve health care outcome by decreasing length of stay and admission charges, and improving quality of medical care, particularly for patients treated by junior attending physicians.