The surgical services team from South Australia’s Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BHFLHN) has implemented new digital pathways for elective surgery patients to enhance communication, patient risk assessments and surgery preparation.

Using technology from local firm Personify Care, the electronic pathway commences in the surgeon’s rooms and incorporates pre-operative, surgical, post-op management and consumer feedback.

The system incorporates an electronic request for surgical admission from GP (RFA) form alongside other critical information and tasks for patients via a digital patient pathway.

Risk factors for surgery are identified with a digital notification sent to clinicians for follow up if patients’ risk factors are outside the clinical criteria.

The pathway includes information on preoperative appointment times (including reminders); detailed, individualised patient education; fasting/bowel preparation and instructions; diabetic fact sheets; preparations and procedure specific; hospital information (what to expect/bring/directions; COVID-19 screening and RAT instructional video; confirmation of date/time of surgery; and advanced discharge planning.

Patients can provide direct feedback about their surgical journey.

According to BHFLHN elective surgery manager Kasey Irwin, there are active plans to continue the roll out of patient pathways to additional surgical lists at other BHFLHN sites.