Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care: Clinical Specialties > Perioperative Medicine

Advancing Perioperative Medicine

Our department is a recognized leader in developing multidisciplinary pathways designed to streamline patient-centered surgical care. This innovative model provides a robust framework for systematic communication among surgeons, anesthesiologists, hospitalists, patients and other healthcare providers, fostering a seamless and integrative approach to perioperative care. Implementing this evidence-based, coordinated care plan has shown improved patient outcomes and operational efficiencies.

Perioperative Mission

The following core principles guide our perioperative mission:

Standardized Clinical Assessment: Implementation of consistent and comprehensive patient evaluation methodologies.
Patient Education: Empowering patients with the knowledge necessary for informed decision-making and active participation in their care.
Optimization of Medical, Physical and Psychological Elements: Personalized care plan to reduce complications and enhance recovery.
Coordination of Care: Ensuring the highest anesthesia care and management standards are implemented.
Cost and Length of Stay Reduction: Implementing strategies to optimize resources and expedite recovery time.
Complication and Readmission Rate Reduction: Taking proactive measures to minimize adverse events and improve long-term outcomes.
Standardization of Practice: Adherence to evidence-based practices and clinical guidelines to ensure consistent, high-quality care.
Stakeholder Satisfaction Improvement: Enhancing the training experience of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and patients.
Quality and Performance Improvement: Provide quality and performance improvement measures based on research outcomes.

Perioperative Medicine Clinical Expertise

Perioperative care is strongly emphasized during anesthesiology residency and fellowship programs. From before surgery to post-surgery and integration back to daily activities, trainees become highly proficient in the full spectrum of perioperative patient management. Collaborating with multiple departments, the UC Irvine perioperative medicine team is dedicated to optimizing care across the surgical journey, encompassing the decision to operate, preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases.

The initial phase involves a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort by the perioperative medicine anesthesiologists and other departments to develop an individualized surgical plan. The team covers critical information with the patient, including what to expect before, during and after the surgery, aiming to minimize complications and risks associated with the perioperative period.

All patients undergo a rigorous preoperative health and risk assessment, beginning with an initial screening questionnaire and a thorough review of health records. The assessment often includes a detailed medical history, identification of surgical risks, and review of prior anesthetic and surgical experiences, medications, allergies and exercise ability.

To reduce risks and complications during and after surgery, the perioperative clinical team strongly advises smoking cessation, appropriate nutrition and medical treatment adherence.

During the intraoperative phase, our anesthesiologists follow standardized protocols for individualized anesthesia care. Our team ensures that the highest quality and efficiency of anesthesia care are adhered to in the operating room.

After surgery, anesthesiologists are committed to providing patients with a smooth, safe and comfortable transition from the operating room to the recovery room. They work alongside a team of physicians and nurses to provide medical and pain management care in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit. If needed, our anesthesia-based acute pain team will be involved in caring for complex pain needs throughout the remainder of the hospital admission.