Physicians' gift lessens anxiety of kids headed for surgery

One of the greatest challenges in pediatric anesthesia is providing preoperative relief for children's anxiety. Medical research has compared the effects of giving children preoperative sedatives with allowing parents to be present when kids' anesthesia begins. Both of those measures can be effective. Now, some physicians at Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills have made it possible for kids, and even some adult patients, to distract their attention away from anxious thoughts by playing games and doing activities on iPads.

"We wanted to give a desirable distraction to the pediatric patients we serve," said anesthesiologist Aaron Wood, D.O. "Letting kids play fun and interactive games on iPads gives them a great distraction and is an appropriate alternative to using sedatives to reduce anxiety."

Dr. Wood turned into a fundraiser briefly and went to his fellow anesthesiologists, as well as ear, nose and throat surgeons David Seel, D.O., and Shant Korkigian, D.O., to raise enough money to purchase six iPads.

"Our main goal was to help calm and distract the kids who come in to have their tonsils and adenoids removed," Dr. Wood said. "But the iPads were so successful as a distraction, that we now offer an iPad to all preoperative pediatric patients, as well as to adult patients who might have an extended stay in the Preoperative and Postoperative Unit."

When the devices first appeared, an anesthesiologist would hand out an iPad to his or her preoperative pediatric patients. Soon though, the surgical registration clerk will give an iPad to kids, so patients will obtain the device within minutes of arriving at the hospital.

"When seeing our pediatric patients having a good time using these iPads, my fellow physicians, as well as the kids' parents and the preoperative staff, feel really energized!" said Dr. Wood. "Personally seeing a child's positive reaction is very rewarding, not only because it allays the child's anxiety, but it reminds me of my colleagues' dedication and compassion to our patients and to our hospital."

Photo caption 1: Karlie Smigielski, 10, plays a game on an iPad game right up until the anesthesia mask is placed over her face. Her anesthesiologist Aaron Lewis, M.D., at right, contributed to the purchase of six iPads. They are used to reduce preoperative pediatric patients' anxiety at Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills.

Photo caption 2: Mackenzie Smigielski, 14, had her tonsils and adenoids removed right after younger sister Karlie's surgery. Mackenzie is hanging out in the Preoperative unit with her anesthesiologist Aaron Lewis, M.D., left, and her ear, nose and throat surgeon David Seel, D.O. They were part of the group of physicians at Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills who pooled their money to purchase iPads for pediatric patients to use to distract themselves from preoperative jitters.

About Beaumont Health

Beaumont Health is Michigan's largest health care system, based on inpatient admissions and net patient revenue. A not-for-profit organization, it was formed in 2014 by Beaumont Health System, Botsford Health Care and Oakwood Healthcare to provide patients with the benefit of greater access to extraordinary, compassionate care, no matter where they live in Southeast Michigan. Beaumont Health consists of eight hospitals with 3,337 beds, 168 outpatient sites, nearly 5,000 physicians and 35,000 employees and about 3,500 volunteers. In 2015, the organization had $4.1 billion in net revenue with 177,934 inpatient admissions, 17,151 births and 530,860 emergency visits. For more information, visit beaumont.org.