Anaesthesia (Canada) Top 10

1. Which factors before, during, and after receiving anesthesia for surgery are most important to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction?
2. What are the impacts of involving patients in shared decision making about anesthesia and care options before, during, and after surgery?
3. What data should be collected from patients about anesthesia care before, during, and after surgery to better understand their outcomes and experiences?
4. How can errors and patient injuries in anesthesia care be prevented?
5. How can outcomes in frail and/or elderly patients be improved after receiving anesthesia for surgery?
6. What is the impact of reducing opioids (a type of medication that reduces pain, like morphine) during anesthesia on patient outcomes and opioid dependence after surgery?
7. What preparation, treatment, or assessment before receiving anesthesia for surgery improves patient outcomes?
8. How can patients’ feedback about their experiences before, during and after surgery be used to improve anesthesia care?
9. How can anesthesiologists improve pain control after surgery?
10. What are the common long-term side effects of anesthesia after surgery?

The following questions were also discussed and put in order of priority at the workshop:

11. What are the impacts of cannabis on anesthesia care and pain management after surgery?
12. How can anesthesiologists better use current (or create new) monitoring tools during and after surgery to improve patient care and outcomes?
13. What choices in anesthesia care can improve patient outcomes, side effects, and safety?
14. How well are patients supported after they are discharged from hospitals after anesthetic care?
15. Are there specific surgeries for which regional anesthesia blocks (blocking feelings of pain without putting patients to sleep) provide better patient outcomes?
16. How can health in frail and/or elderly patients be enhanced before receiving anesthesia for surgery?
17. What are the impacts of anesthesia team communication on patient outcomes?
18. What is the evidence for better patient outcomes for general anesthesia vs. regional anesthesia, and is there any evidence for which type of regional (either spinal or epidural) is better?
19. What is the relationship between anesthetic drugs and post-operative cognitive dysfunction and memory loss in patients?
20. What strategies can help reduce delirium after receiving anesthesia for surgery?
21. What is the evidence for eating and drinking before receiving anesthesia for surgery?
22. How does having the same anesthesiologist and care team before, during, and after surgery impact patient outcomes and experience?
23. What anesthesiologist factors impact patient outcomes?
24. Does the type or size of hospital impact the quality of anesthesia care?

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For full details of all of the questions identified by this PSP, please see the document below.