Streamlining preoperative care: Role of software

A 65-year-old man with heart disease schedules a knee arthroscopy with his orthopedic surgeon. Thirty miles away, a note pops up to notify the hospital’s presurgical clinic of the impending surgery. A nurse practitioner pulls up the patient’s electronic health record (EHR), where she reviews the patient’s history. Comparing the history with the preop screening criteria, she can see the patient needs to be seen in person before the day of surgery. An appointment is scheduled and preop tests ordered using the clinic’s standing order set.