Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24756179›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie2015

Surgical waiting times and patient choice: how much delay do patients really want?

Vivak Chander Hansrani, Angus Fong, Nicholas Ferran, Stephen Williams

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Article in European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Vivak Chander HansraniMusculoskeletal Department, Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Groby Road, Leicester, LE3 9QP, UK, vchansrani@doctors.org.uk.
Angus Fong
Nicholas Ferran
Stephen Williams

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe 18-week target to treatment government initiative was implemented in 2004. In order for this to work, patients need to accept operative dates provided, otherwise the pathway will fail.

aimThe aim of this prospective study was to identify the earliest time patients would accept surgical intervention following assessment at an outpatient clinic and to identify the reasons why some patients would choose to delay surgery.

methodsThis prospective study was carried out at an elective orthopaedic centre over a 5-month period. All new adult referrals to the department were asked to complete a seven-point questionnaire on waiting time preference and possible reasons for delaying surgery. No paediatric or spinal orthopaedics was carried out at the centre.

resultsA total of 73 % of the 797 questionnaires were completed. Up to 16 % of patients could not accept day-case/inpatient operation within 6 weeks. Work commitment was the most common reason for choosing to delay surgery, with nearly 50 % of employed patients citing it as a reason. No significant difference was identified between inpatient and day-case procedures.

conclusionThere is a risk that operative slots will be unfilled within the 18-week pathway. 18 % of patients will potentially refuse an operative date offered within 6 weeks of their outpatient visit. Work, holidays and care arrangements are important in uptake. A proactive strategy to improve the uptake of offered surgery is required to prevent operating slots being underutilised.

Indexed as

Appointments and SchedulesElective Surgical ProceduresOrthopedic ProceduresPatient PreferenceTime-to-TreatmentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overEducationEmploymentFemaleHolidaysHumansMaleMiddle AgedPets

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.