Survey on the Current Status of Initial Pharmacist Interviews among Patients Receiving Surgery during the Weekday Day Shift

Comprehensive exploratory surveys of pharmacist involvement with perioperative patients were conducted to identify the current issues and challenges. In the first survey, patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia during the weekday day shift at Sapporo Higashi Tokushukai Hospital between April 1 and September 30, 2022, were included. Patient backgrounds, surgery-related information, and initial preoperative pharmacist interviews were investigated. In the second survey, the questionnaire was administered to anesthesiologists and operating room nurses at our hospital between March 1 and March 31, 2023. Of the patients who underwent surgery during the weekday day shift, the initial preoperative pharmacist interview was not conducted for approximately 1 in 10 cases. Patients who were not interviewed were more likely to be hospitalized on weekends, holidays, or at night and were more commonly trauma patients. Both anesthesiologists and operating room nurses indicated that the work of operating room pharmacists "supported their work," "improved the quality of care," and "improved medical safety."