ASL Bari reorganizes orthopedic day surgery to reduce preoperative exams

ASL Bari has reorganized its orthopedic day surgery model for low and medium complexity procedures to improve efficiency and patient care. The new system focuses on clinical risk assessments and standardized pathways, allowing selected patients to undergo preparation, surgery, and discharge within a single day, thereby avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations.

Data from 836 monitored interventions between November 2025 and April 2026 show a significant reduction in routine preoperative testing. Specifically, there was a 91% decrease in chest X-rays, a 68% reduction in cardiology consultations, a 58% drop in ECGs and coagulation tests, a 57% decrease in blood counts, and a 75% reduction in other blood chemistry exams.

General Director Luigi Fruscio stated that the reorganization aims to make surgical pathways simpler for citizens and more efficient for the healthcare system by using technology and professional expertise only when truly necessary. The project involved a multidisciplinary team from the departments of Orthopedics, Anesthesia and Resuscitation, and Clinical Risk Management.