편도 및 아데노이드 절제술에서 Critical Pathway의 적용

Background and Objectives: The current health care climate demands the provision of patient care in a cost-effective manner. Critical pathway implementation has the potential to standardize treatment and improve the cost-effectiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether implementation of a critical pathway for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy would affect the time of charting and patient care and the satisfaction of patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred seventy one patients were included in the study. The critical pathway was implemented for 146 patients while the other 25 patients were treated without implementation of the pathway. Results: The time of charting (70%) and working (45%) was reduced after implementation of critical pathway. Patient satisfaction was increased in both kindness of health care team (12%) and patient care itself (12%). The variation of length of hospital stay was 20.5% (30/146). Conclusion: Implementation of a critical pathway has played a significant role in decreasing the time of charting and patients care and increasing patient satisfaction. Thus critical pathway implementation is an effective method to save the time of medical care team and to increase patient satisfaction. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 2000;11:256–260)