Caring for the patient undergoing transsphenoidal surgery in the acute care setting: an alternative to critical care.

Patients undergoing transsphenoidal surgery have complex needs that require expert care and the coordination of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals. In general, patients requiring this surgery are cared for in intensive care units. An innovative program at the University of Virginia, developed 11 years ago, enables these patients to be cared for on an acute care unit for the entirety of their hospitalization. The success of this program is evident in positive clinical and financial outcomes.