Put a “pause” on your surgery at the VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding an initiative designed to hold off rushing a veteran to surgery. The purpose of the Surgical Pause is to give a good going over with veterans destined for surgery to screen them for risk of frailty.

Already taking place at 50 of the VA facilities, the program seeks to identify veterans who would likely experience postoperative complications, loss of independence and even death. The stats are grim: Too many very frail patients die within six months of surgery, even when that surgery is considered low stress.

The test doesn’t take long. The Risk Analysis Index (RAI) is a screening that only takes 30 seconds and gives the medical staff an opportunity to weigh the potential risks before they move ahead.

Apparently, the pause in the rush to surgery is working. A recent study of 50,000 patients showed that a three-year mortality rate dropped significantly.

If you’re scheduled for surgery at the VA, ask for this Surgical Pause assessment, even if you don’t consider yourself to be frail. Ask about potential long-term recovery after surgery. Also to be considered: You might ask whether there is non-surgical treatment for your condition. If surgery is definitely in your future, ask, too, whether a three-six week exercise regimen before surgery would let your body beef up and give you some physical reserves.

To read more about the Surgical Pause, go to marketplace. va.gov/innovations/preoperative-frailty-screening-prehabilitation. When you read down to “Successful adoptions,” view the list of innovations each hospital has started. Scroll to the “Surgical Pause” in each one to see if they were successful. There is also an “In-progress adoptions” section for hospitals that are still working on their programs. Know in advance how your hospital rates.

Of course, you need to do what your doctor says. But if you ask good questions (Do I need a Risk Analysis Index?), you’ll make a better health advocate for yourself.