Is it time to abandon diagnostic hysteroscopy in the OR?
Leung S, Leyland N, Murji A. Decreasing diagnostic hysteroscopy performed in the operating room: a quality improvement initiative. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2016;38(4):351-356.
Diagnostic hysteroscopy: Are we stuck in the 1990s? Why are we still performing so many diagnostic hysteroscopies in the OR, thus subjecting our patients to general anesthesia and using our precious OR time? That is the question asked by a group of researchers in Canada.
According to data from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, diagnostic hysteroscopy was performed 10,027 times in the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Ontario researchers designed and implemented a quality improvement initiative at their institution and successfully decreased the number of diagnostic hysteroscopies performed in their hospital by 70% from their baseline 12-month period. The improvements resulted in a savings of 78 hours of case costing, or $126,984. When these data are extrapolated to the Ontario population (in which more than 10,000 diagnostic hysteroscopies were performed), potentially 7,000 women could avoid the risk of general anesthesia and the health care system could save $11 million.
Re-education protocol was key to reducing OR procedures
How did the researchers accomplish their results? The multifaceted intervention had 3 key components:
Staff education and review. Many surgeons were performing diagnostic hysteroscopy in the OR because that is how they were trained, and they were unaware of less invasive options. An awareness campaign was conducted by e-mail, during staff meetings, and at rounds.
Accessible sonohysterography. This diagnostic modality was made more accessible to referring physicians in a timely manner.
Initiation of an operative hysteroscopy education program. To allow more surgeons greater comfort with office hysteroscopy, the authors instituted didactic sessions, dry and wet lab simulations, and mentorship.
WHAT THIS EVIDENCE MEANS FOR PRACTICEAlthough some patients may need to have diagnostic hysteroscopy performed in the OR because of difficulty accessing the endometrial cavity, the vast majority of cases can be done in the office with no anesthesia or with local anesthesia. Habit and tradition will not continue to win the day as we head toward providing value-based health care.
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