Clinical trial NCT06067373: Impact and Burden of Postponing Elective Surgeries
Official title: Impact and Burden of Postponing Elective Surgeries in Patients With Urological Diseases
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Conditions: Mental Impairment
Complication
Keywords: postponed surgery
Lead sponsor: Medical University of Graz
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-10-04
Enrollment: 100
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: All patients admitted to the Urology department for elective surgery are eligible for the study and, if interested, receive the patient information.

Brief summary: Overall, little is known about the effects and burdens of postponed operations in patients with urological diseases. To investigate the consequences and develop possible strategies for overcoming these challenges, the investigators would like to evaluate the influence of operation shifts in more detail.

Detailed description: Medical care in Austria is struggling with staff shortages and consecutive OR (operating room) closures. The current development seems to be the result of problems that have been postponed for a long time to be accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The introduction of COVID-19 vaccination and the establishment of protective measures and handling standards with infected patients made it possible to return to the regular operation. However, there is currently no noticeable improvement in the overall situation. The increasing shortage of nursing care in Austria is an increasingly urgent reason for this that affects all hospitals and care facilities. By prioritizing oncological interventions and an "oncology first" strategy at least oncological interventions and emergency interventions are performed on time. However, just looking at the waiting times for oncological interventions does not provide sufficient information of the current overall situation. The impairment for Patients with non-oncological diseases have received little attention so far given. Postponing elective surgery in patients with functional urological diseases (e.g. benign prostatic hyperplasia) can have a long-term impact on patient health and also means shifting their Surgery Burden and the stress for the patient. An American Study observed a decrease in prostate cancer diagnoses and an increase in diagnostic delays and postponements of treatments due to the pandemic, which led to greater stress and uncertainty in the affected patients.

The primary goal of this study is to record the burden on patients caused by the postponement of their surgery (mentally, physically).

Secondary outcomes include complication rates from postponement of surgery, effects on employment, awareness of the current situation (lack of care), state of health of patients upon admission to elective surgery.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

- All patients over the age of 18 attending the Department of Urology for an elective surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

* lack of ability to give consent
* emergency operations

Primary outcomes:
measure: physical burden caused by postponement of elective surgery
timeFrame: depending on the interval of the postponed surgery; through study completion, an average of 1 year
measure: mental burden caused by postponement of elective surgery
timeFrame: depending on the interval of the postponed surgery; through study completion, an average of 1 year
Secondary outcomes:
measure: complication rates
timeFrame: depending on the interval of the postponed surgery; through study completion, an average of 1 year
measure: effect on employment
timeFrame: depending on the interval of the postponed surgery; through study completion, an average of 1 year
measure: awareness of the current situation
timeFrame: depending on the interval of the postponed surgery; through study completion, an average of 1 year
measure: general health status
timeFrame: depending on the interval of the postponed surgery; through study completion, an average of 1 year
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Graz
country: Austria
facility: Department of Urology, Medical University Graz
Study officials:
References: