Overview

Perioperative medial complications significantly increase morbidity and mortality, as well as the financial cost associated with surgical procedures. These complications are increased in patients of advanced age and in those with co-existing medical conditions. Comprehensive perioperative risk assessment and focused postoperative medical management have become an integral part of cost-effective, quality patient care.

Among health care professionals, awareness of innovations in medical therapies and changes in clinical guidelines, as well as an understanding of their evidence-based rationale, are important factors related to improving surgical outcomes. However, as perioperative patient care expands to include a wider range of specialties, some clinicians feel unprepared and uncomfortable in their role as medical consultants and co-managers of surgical patients, especially those at high risk for complications.

Our goal is to enable clinicians who are actively engaged in perioperative medical care to incorporate the latest findings from clinical research into their office and hospital practice so that they can provide quality and safe medical care.

Target Audience

Internists, hospitalists, family practitioners, anesthesiologists, physician assistants and allied health professionals

Objectives

• Outline the different elements of the preoperative evaluation and the communication techniques for the medical consultant
• Assess perioperative risk using the history, physical exam, and well-developed evidence-based clinical predication rules and guidelines
• Appreciate disease processes relevant to perioperative care
• Implement evidence-based therapies for perioperative risk reduction
• Integrate cost-effective preoperative testing in ambulatory and hospitalized patients
• Manage common postoperative medical complications
• Incorporate the latest findings from perioperative clinical research into their office and hospital practice

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education acknowledges educational grants for partial support of these activities from:

Platinum Level

Bronze Level
Boehringer Ingelheim
Prompte, LLC
Merck & Co., Inc.