296
Letters to the Editor
4. Kuo LJ, Leu SY, Liu MC, Chen CM. Disseminated intravascular coagulation in a stage IV colon cancer patient: report of a case and review of the literature. Formos. J. Surg. 2003; 36: 188–92.
Jakob Köstenbauer,* Basil D’Souza,† MBBS, FRACS *School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and †St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia doi: 10.1111/ans.13003
Dear Editor, Increasing roles for surgical outpatients Sina Babazadeh has most appropriately drawn attention to uncertainties relating to the future of surgical outpatient clinics.1 However, with increasing use of day surgery for significant and sophisticated procedures, the importance of preoperative diagnosis and postoperative care in outpatient clinics is actually increasing and so, except for some minor procedures, post-operative supervision,
which has no direct relationship with the institution where the service was provided, cannot ensure the highest standard of care. Post-operative management following most hand surgery requires specialist staff, and care elsewhere following skin cancer surgery could introduce unnecessary risks. As was suggested in the letter, outpatient rotations for general practice trainees should be good as outpatients can provide excellent post-graduate experience, which, over time, should make possible more continuing care in the community. The outdated term, outpatients, may be significant in detracting attention away from the importance and efficiency of the services provided. Perhaps, the roles of these clinics would be better understood if they were called day surgery clinics (pre- and postoperative) or ambulatory surgery clinics or something similar. Reference 1. Babazadeh S. The future of surgical outpatients. ANZ J. Surg. 2014; 84: 797.
John A. Buntine, MBBS, FRACS Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia doi: 10.1111/ans.13021
© 2015 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Letters to the Editor
4. Kuo LJ, Leu SY, Liu MC, Chen CM. Disseminated intravascular coagulation in a stage IV colon cancer patient: report of a case and review of the literature. Formos. J. Surg. 2003; 36: 188–92.
Jakob Köstenbauer,* Basil D’Souza,† MBBS, FRACS *School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and †St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia doi: 10.1111/ans.13003
Dear Editor, Increasing roles for surgical outpatients Sina Babazadeh has most appropriately drawn attention to uncertainties relating to the future of surgical outpatient clinics.1 However, with increasing use of day surgery for significant and sophisticated procedures, the importance of preoperative diagnosis and postoperative care in outpatient clinics is actually increasing and so, except for some minor procedures, post-operative supervision,
which has no direct relationship with the institution where the service was provided, cannot ensure the highest standard of care. Post-operative management following most hand surgery requires specialist staff, and care elsewhere following skin cancer surgery could introduce unnecessary risks. As was suggested in the letter, outpatient rotations for general practice trainees should be good as outpatients can provide excellent post-graduate experience, which, over time, should make possible more continuing care in the community. The outdated term, outpatients, may be significant in detracting attention away from the importance and efficiency of the services provided. Perhaps, the roles of these clinics would be better understood if they were called day surgery clinics (pre- and postoperative) or ambulatory surgery clinics or something similar. Reference 1. Babazadeh S. The future of surgical outpatients. ANZ J. Surg. 2014; 84: 797.
John A. Buntine, MBBS, FRACS Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia doi: 10.1111/ans.13021
© 2015 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
