Podcast: Perioperative Medicine : The Past, the Present and the Future

This FICM Learning podcast episode discusses perioperative medicine, its history, current state, and future direction. The panel includes Prof Ramani Moonesinghe, Professor of Perioperative medicine at UCL, Dr David Murray, Chair of the National Laparotomy Audit project, and Dr Luke Flowers, Chair of the trainee research network. The panel members, who have extensive experience in establishing perioperative medicine as a specialty, provide insights into risk assessment, risk prediction models, and the importance of shared decision-making. They emphasize the need to consider not only mortality but also other patient-centered outcomes, such as discharge destination and length of hospital stay. The future of perioperative medicine lies in optimizing patient pathways, integrating multidisciplinary teams, and investing in pre- and post-operative interventions. The panel also highlights the importance of conveying the value of perioperative care to the healthcare system.

Keywords - perioperative medicine, risk assessment, risk prediction models, shared decision-making, patient-centered outcomes, multidisciplinary teams, pre- and post-operative interventions, healthcare system

Takeaways

• Perioperative medicine has evolved as a specialty that focuses on optimizing patient care throughout the perioperative pathway, including pre- and post-operative interventions.
• Risk assessment and prediction models are valuable tools for decision-making, but they have limitations and should be used in conjunction with clinical judgment.
• It is important to consider not only mortality but also other patient-centered outcomes, such as discharge destination and length of hospital stay, when communicating risk to patients.
• Shared decision-making involving the patient and a multidisciplinary team is crucial in perioperative medicine.
• The future of perioperative medicine lies in optimizing patient pathways, integrating multidisciplinary teams, and investing in pre- and post-operative interventions.
• Conveying the value of perioperative care to the healthcare system is essential for securing resources and support.

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