Extended Post Anaesthetic Care in PACU During COVID-19: Multi-perspective Value-based Analysis

From January 2020, during COVID-19 first pandemics in Hong Kong, a bundle of interim measures was implemented with the joint efforts of the Department of Anaesthesia and Operating Theatre Services (A\&OT) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and two ordinary recovery beds were converted into extended post anesthetic care in PACU (ExRR), based on the concept of overnight intensive recovery (OIR) to provide level 2 intensive care to patients undergoing major or ultra-major operations or having multiple comorbidities warranted intensive care in the immediately postoperative periods. This was conducted over 3 pandemic waves in Hong Kong.