Philippine Journal of Surgical Specialties Vol. 75, No. 2, July-December 2020, pp 132-140

Inhalation Injury: A Two-Year Pilot Assessment on the Adherence to the Clinical Pathway for Adult Burn Patients At High Risk for Inhalation Injury in the Philippine General Hospital

Author(s): Jose Joven V. Cruz, MD, MPH, FPCS, FPAPRAS, Mario Emmanuel L. Lopez de Leon, MD, Alexandra Monica L Tan-Gayos, MD, FPAPRAS, Miriam Quinto, MD and Jubert P. Benedicto MD, FPCP, FPCCP

Abstract:
Objective: This study determined the mean overall adherence to the clinical pathway formulated by the Section of Pulmonology together with the Division of Burns for adult burn patients at high risk for inhalation injury admitted at the UP-PGH ATR Burn Center in a two-year period.

Methodology: A retrospective cohort study regarding adherence to the clinical pathway of acutely burned adult patients at high risk for inhalation injury admitted at the UP-PGH ATR Burn Center between August 2016 to July 2018 was conducted. Medical records were reviewed and an adherence checklist was used to assess each item in the clinical pathway. For the adherence and patient profile, descriptive statistics were used.

Results: This pilot assessment study showed acceptable rates of adherence and implementation of the clinical pathway. Overall, 60% of the cases followed the clinical pathway completely. While 26.67% had acceptable rates of compliance (more than half of items adhered), while 13% of the cases scored adhered to less than half of the items.

Conclusion: The pathway has been shown to be a feasible clinical pathway that can be implemented in a tertiary hospital setting.

Key words: Burns, inhalational injury, clinical pathway