Abstract
Same-day surgery cancellations disrupt operating room efficiency, delay timely care, and contribute to patient dissatisfaction. At a vascular surgery clinic in an urban academic medical center, a retrospective review revealed a same-day cancellation rate of 20.83%, many of which were preventable. The project focused on identifying strategies to reduce cancellations, with the literature highlighting interventions such as standardized preprocedural protocols, screening tools, reminder phone calls, patient education, and centralized surgical processes. Among these, preoperative phone calls emerged as the most consistently effective approach for reducing preventable cancellations. Guided by this evidence, the project implemented a structured phone call protocol for patient’s schedule for vascular surgery. Outcomes were evaluated by comparing cancellation rates before and after implementation. This intervention showed a positive impact on operating room utilization, patient satisfaction, and cost efficiency. Sustainability is supported by integrating standardized phone calls into routine preoperative workflows, staff training, and ongoing quality monitoring to maintain long-term improvements in efficiency and patient centered care.
Date of publication
2025
Document Type
DNP Scholarly Project
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4901
Committee members
Deanna Adams
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Recommended Citation
Vackar, Crystal, "DNP Final Report: ENHANCING SURGICAL PREPAREDNESS: THE IMPACT OF PREOPERATIVE PHONE CALLS TO REDUCE CANCELLATIONS" (2025). DNP Final Reports. Paper 73.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4901
Included in
Other Nursing Commons, Perioperative, Operating Room and Surgical Nursing Commons, Surgery Commons