Predictive model for extended PACU stay after outpatient surgery

Editor's Note

In this study, researchers developed a predictive model that can help identify patients at higher risk for prolonged postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay after outpatient surgery.

Data on 4,151 patients at the University of California, San Diego Healthcare Systems, from 2014 to 2015, was split into a training set (cases before 2015) and a test set (cases during 2015).

The final model had 5 predictor variables for prolonged PACU stay, which included:

• morbid obesity
• hypertension
• surgical specialty
• primary anesthesia type
• scheduled case duration.

This model may help optimize case-sequencing methodologies aimed at optimizing PACU staff scheduling in outpatient facilities, the authors say.

BACKGROUND: A predictive model that can identify patients who are at an increased risk for prolonged postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay could help optimize resource utilization and case sequencing. Although previous studies identified some predictors, there is not a model that only utilizes var...