WESTMEAD ACUTE SURGERY

The Westmead Acute Surgery Clinical Algorithms, Calculators and Reference Tables have been developed, utilising evidence-based information, to enhance patient and clinical decision-making, improve efficiency in delivery of safe, standardised health care.

INTENDED AUDIENCE
The algorithms, calculators and reference tables presented are intended primarily for health professionals and the following audiences, specifically at Westmead Hospital, Sydney NSW Australia:
Medical doctors, nurses and other health care professionals
Health care administrators
Researchers

OTHER AUDIENCES INCLUDING PATIENTS
If you are a patient and accessing these algorithms, calculators and reference tables, you should understand that the information presented is designed for the use of the expert audiences, identified above. You should seek assistance from your health care professional in interpreting these materials and applying them in individual cases.

MEDICAL ADVICE
The algorithms, calculators and reference tables are evidence-based processes that are intended to assist medical doctors and patient decisions regarding the health care of acute general surgical patients at Westmead Hospital. Although designed to standardise decision plans for acute surgery, the algorithms cannot address the unique needs of each patient or the combination of resources available to a particular community or health care professional. The algorithms are not entirely inclusive or exclusive of all methods of reasonable care that can result in the same outcome. Deviation from these algorithms may be justified by individual circumstances. The use of these algorithms outside Westmead Hospital must be applied based on individual patient requirements using expert, professional judgment.

DISCLAIMERS
The algorithms, calculators and reference tables are for use specifically at Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia. The creator and contributors to these algorithms do not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the use/application or resulting outcomes there of these guidelines, both within or outside Westmead Hospital.
Westmead Hospital does not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, and/or clinical efficacy of these algorithms.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Westmead Acute Surgery app concept is largely from Dr Jeremy Hsu, who developed the Westmead Hospital Trauma Clinical Algorithms App in 2013. This project has been supported by HETI through the Medical Education Support Fund. Many thanks also to the following people for their support, corrections and advices: Professor Henry Pleass, A/Professor Gary Morgan, Dr Lawrence Yuen, Dr Jeremy Hsu, Dr Tony Pang, Dr Toufic El Khoury, Dr Matthew Watts, Dr Kim Hill and Dr Roslyn Crampton.