Dr Kanika Chaudri and Dr Andrew Marks were awarded an Innovation grant to help transform surgical waitlists
Streamlining the road to surgery Surgical waitlists are being transformed by a new platform where patients complete pre admission forms online, giving clinicians early insights into health issues that can be addressed before an operation.
the next step will be offering them a service that can actually make them stronger before surgery.” In healthcare vernacular, this approach is known as prehabilitation, and involves physical, nutritional, and psychological preparation for an operation. “A really good way of thinking about ‘prehab’ is training for your surgery,” said Andrew. Preparation can involve helping patients cut back on smoking well before surgery or improving sugar levels or improving their physical fitness. Andrew said the shift from paper has been popular, with over 80 per cent of patients using the online tool and finding it easy. Staff workshops are refining the process, and a health economist has already tracked cost savings. He said getting the NSLHD grant was a game-changer for reforming the surgery process. “You just need that little investment,” he said. “You need the first pebble to fall so the avalanche can start.”
“It really does transform the elective waiting list into a preparation list,” said anaesthetist Dr. Andrew Marks, who alongside Dr Kanika Chaudri, was awarded a $100,000 Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) grant in August 2024 to support the development of a new pathway known as Diamonds. Results from the form feed into a dashboard that automatically gives patients a coloured flag according to their level of risk. “Green” patients are healthy and ready for their operation. Andrew says this saves time for everyone as they don’t need to come into the hospital in the lead-up to surgery. If patients have a red or orange flag, however, clinical staff will spend more time sorting out their health problems. “With Diamonds, we’re at that exciting phase of identifying patients with more issues—and
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