The effect of a dedicated emergency theatre facility on emergency operating patterns

摘要

Following the introduction of a dedicated 24-hour emergency theatre facility in a 500-bed district general hospital, the total amount of emergency general surgery performed after 22.00 hours has been reduced from 37.2 to 13.1/100, with a concomitant increase in emergency day-time operating from 22.1 to 51.2/100. The majority of the workload was previously performed by the junior grades, and this has remained unchanged. Operative experience has not been diminished with the reduction in night-time surgery, and senior supervision has been enhanced.