Improvements in the efficiency of care after implementing a clinical-care pathway for transurethral prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficiency of care, length of hospital stay and admission charges after implementing a clinical-care pathway for transurethral prostatectomy (TURP).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Changes in the length of hospital stay and admission charges were identified by comparing a series of 100 patients undergoing TURP and treated after implementing a clinical-care pathway with 100 patients treated by the same physicians before implementation.

RESULTS

After implementing the care pathway, the mean length of hospital stay and admission charges were significantly lower (P < 0.01). The shorter length of stay was caused by a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in patient-related psychological/social delay after implementation. The number of laboratory tests and use of pharmacological agents were also significantly lower (P < 0.001) after implementation, with the decreases in these last variables significantly greater (P < 0.001) among junior physicians.

CONCLUSIONS

The advantages of the TURP clinical-care pathway were the shorter hospital stay, arising from reduced patient-related psychological or social delay, and reduced admission charges consequent on the decreased use of laboratory tests and drugs, particularly for patients treated by junior physicians. These results suggest that physicians are likely to modify their management methods to improve efficiency when a clinical path is implemented.