Temple Street’s DOSA (Day of Surgery Admission) Unit admits 1000th patient achieving national target
Patients admitted for elective procedures including tonsillectomies, cochlear implants, orthopaedic surgery and hernia repairs
(Thursday 11th February 2016) Since its establishment in September 2014, 1,000 children from across Ireland have been admitted to Temple Street DOSA (Day of Surgery Admission) Unit. A successful day of surgery admission process can provide significant benefits for the patient and the hospital. These include potentially fewer cancellations for elective surgery, cost efficiencies and a potential reduction in rates of hospital acquired infection. The DOSA Unit has also aided the introduction of a ‘patient and family friendly admission process’ whereby the Surgical Ward staff can receive patients fasting on the day of surgery and admit them in a comfortable environment with their families rather than waiting for an available bed prior to going to theatre.
Speaking on the day the 1000th patient is being admitted to the DOSA Unit, Sharon Ryan, Divisional Nurse Manager, Temple Street said “The DOSA process guarantees an available waiting area where patients for admission can be prepared for theatre safely without the added time pressure of waiting for inpatient beds to become available. Patients go to the theatre from the DOSA Unit and return to a bed post operatively elsewhere in the hospital”.
DOSA is a process recommended by the HSE & RCSI National Programme for Elective Surgery. The national target for ‘Day of Surgery Admissions’ as outlined in the National Programme for Elective Surgery (www.rcsi.ie/ncps-electivesurgery) is 75% of all planned admissions. Temple Street has achieved this target with the help of DOSA and regularly exceeds this target on a monthly basis.