J U LY 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T 4 5
As the national education director for Envision Physician Services' anesthesia divi-
sion, Adam Blomberg, MD, is leading the development and rollout of a patient safe-
ty and satisfaction protocol called Tempo, which puts the patient at the center of
the perioperative period. "The rhythmic motion of coordinated care," is how Dr.
Blomberg describes Tempo.
This is no small task, as Dr. Blomberg has to reach and teach a small army of
anesthesia providers (more than 4,500 docs and nurses) to make patient satisfac-
tion the No. 1 priority. Tempo will address what most irks surgical patients, includ-
ing:
• Showing up late. Don't tell a patient to arrive at 5 a.m. for a 7 a.m. start when
you know the surgeon drives his kids to school and doesn't start until 9 a.m.
"People's time is worthwhile. Be considerate and schedule accurately," says Dr.
Blomberg.
• Unnecessary pre-op testing. "Why do we have patients running around town 3
days before surgery getting lab testing that they don't need?" asks Dr. Blomberg.
"Only order what's relevant to the patient based on risk
factors and the scheduled surgery." Consider chest X-
rays as an example. Unless a patient is having active car-
diopulmonary symptoms, says Dr. Blomberg, there's no
indication for routine chest scans in pre-op screening.
• Fasting. It's time to revisit the "no drinks
after midnight" standard. Some patients can have clear
liquids 2 hours before surgery, including carbohydrate-
loaded drinks. Patients scheduled for 5 p.m. surgery
should eat breakfast that day — otherwise they'll be in
a catatonic state for 20 hours, dehydrated and more
likely to suffer PONV, says Dr. Blomberg.
— Dan O'Connor
CONSIDERATE + COORDINATED CARE
Putting Patients at the Center
Of the Perioperative Period
• WALKING IN RHYTHM Adam Blomberg, MD, (left) discusses
details of Envision Physician Services' Tempo protocol.
Burdette
Ketchum
