Cancellation of Elective Cases in a Recently Opened, Tertiary/Quaternary-Level Hospital in the Middle East

Case cancellations have a negative financial impact due to revenue loss and the potential costs of underutilized time. The goals of this study at a recently opened hospital in the Middle East were to measure the cancellation rates for elective surgical or endoscopic cases and to identify the reasons for cancellation. During the 1-month study period, 170 (22.4%) of the 760 scheduled cases were cancelled. Cultural norms and patient no-shows on the day of surgery accounted for the majority of case cancellations. Understanding local factors on hospital functions may be vital for organizations expanding into new geographic areas.