“Preoperative medical consultation associated with increased mortality and hospital stay.” (2010). Health Canal. Retrieved from: http://www.healthcanal.com/public-health-safety/10506-Preoperative-medical-consultation-associated-with-increased-mortality-and-hospital-stay.html

In an effort to keep people who undergo major surgery safe, surgeons frequently refer their patients for evaluation by internal medicine specialists before the planned surgery. This evaluation is called a “preoperative medical consultation.”

But new research from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), St. Michael’s Hospital and the University Health Network shows that although these consultations are associated with increases in preoperative pharmacological interventions and testing, they are also associated with a small increase in mortality and hospital stay after major elective non-cardiac surgery.