Surgery is an important medical care that helps reduce pain, treat diseases, and extend patients’ lives with better quality of life. However, surgery carries risks of various complications, including infection, blood loss, or procedural errors. To ensure maximum safety and reduce undesirable complications, the Safe Surgery Policy is necessary and should be strictly implemented in all healthcare facilities. This is to ensure safety, reduce adverse treatment outcomes, and prevent complications that may arise from surgery or procedures, which helps minimize risks from hazards or dangers that should not occur in healthcare services, resulting in patients receiving care with the best standards and increased safety.
Informed Consent
One of the key components of the Safe Surgery Policy is providing information and obtaining consent. Patients must receive explanations and be questioned until they understand before signing the consent form for surgery. This process involves the physician or medical personnel explaining information related to the surgery or procedure, including:
- Treatment objectives specifying why the surgery or procedure is necessary
- Steps and techniques used to help the patient understand the process involved
- Risks and possible complications such as infection, blood loss, complications to other organ systems, or the possibility of needing additional treatment
- Postoperative care guidelines including recovery, self-care, medication use, and regular follow-up visits
- Alternative treatment options to allow patients to consider various options and make decisions together with the physician for the best benefit
Medical Privilege
Refers to the ‘rights’ or scope of specialized capabilities that medical personnel, particularly physicians treating patients, must have according to the medical organization’s bylaws and must be authorized to perform patient care in healthcare facilities based on qualifications, expertise, experience, and training received. The process of determining Medical Privilege considers the following factors:
- Educational qualifications and professional licenses Physicians or medical personnel must have valid licenses or medical practice certificates and have completed specialized education or training in their responsible fields
- Experience and professional achievements Having undergone internships or work in specialized fields, possessing evidence of skills and expertise, and having a work history that meets patient safety standards
- Standards and policies of the healthcare facility Each facility has internal criteria or standards for determining Medical Privilege to ensure patient safety, with periodic evaluations and reviews to improve or limit practice rights as appropriate
Medical Clearance
Is a detailed health assessment of the patient by a physician or medical specialist to confirm or certify that the individual has a physical condition and health status sufficient and appropriate for undergoing any surgery or procedure, such as general or regional anesthesia, safely in every case.
Criteria consult
Is a guideline or requirement for consulting a specialist physician or other multidisciplinary professionals to assist in deciding whether to refer the patient for consultation or care from specialists or other departments within the healthcare facility. Considerations include factors such as:
- Patients with complex diseases or multiple chronic conditions, or rare diseases
- Patients older than 45 years, younger than 2 years, and/or with underlying diseases that increase surgical risk
- Patients with a history of more than two abdominal surgeries
- Patients requiring corrective surgery due to unsuccessful initial surgery
- Patients with a history of complications from anesthesia and/or surgery
- Patients undergoing complex surgery or procedures requiring physicians with special expertise or experience in those procedures or high-risk surgeries
VTE Assessment
Or Venous Thromboembolism risk assessment is the process of evaluating a patient’s risk of developing blood clots in the veins. Patients must be assessed and prevented from venous thromboembolism according to hospital policy, using various criteria or risk factors for consideration. This allows medical personnel to plan prophylaxis and provide appropriate care, helping reduce complications and adverse outcomes from blood clots.
Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Is the administration of antibiotics to prevent infection before it occurs. It is commonly used in medical situations or procedures with a high risk of infection, such as certain surgeries, procedures that may cause deep wounds or significant blood loss, and in patients with weakened immune systems or underlying diseases that increase the risk of severe infection. When antimicrobial agents are necessary before surgery, patients must receive them within 60 minutes before the incision.
Mark Site
Is the process of marking or clearly identifying the area to be operated on or treated before starting the procedure to prevent errors in identifying the correct site or side, such as operating on the left leg instead of the right or operating on the wrong organ. This is an important measure in the Safe Surgery guidelines according to international standards, such as the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist or The Joint Commission’s Universal Protocol.
Anesthesia Evaluation Assessment
Is the process of assessing the patient’s physical condition and explaining the risks before anesthesia by an anesthesiologist or anesthesia team before surgery or procedures requiring anesthesia. The goal is to plan the most appropriate and safest anesthesia administration and reduce the chance of undesirable complications.
The Safe Surgery Policy is an important tool and practice that can clearly enhance the quality and safety of surgical procedures, from preoperative preparation, operation room procedures, to postoperative follow-up, through regular data verification, teamwork, emphasis on hygiene, and encouraging full participation of patients and their families.
Phyathai 2 Hospital places the highest importance on patient safety and has implemented the Safe Surgery Policy as a standard for managing all surgical processes. Using international tools and guidelines, the medical team, nurses, and related personnel verify patient information and treatment plans, monitor and reduce risks of complications or errors that may occur, with a commitment to making every surgical process as safe as possible, helping patients recover quickly and providing comprehensive, internationally standardized postoperative quality of life care.
Dr. Tawisak Larpchitrkuson
Plastic Surgeon
Aesthetic Center, Phyathai 2 Hospital
