Table 2.

Day of surgery cancellations stratified by avoidable versus unavoidable causes

	Avoidable (n = 187or 71.6 %)	Unavoidable (n = 74or 28.4 %)
Hospital Related (n = 174 or 66.7 %)	▪ Incomplete surgical-work up (n = 4) ▪ Incomplete medical evaluation (n = 34) ▪ Staff miscommunication (n = 13) ▪ No financial clearance (n = 43) ▪ Admission papers not ready (n = 7) ▪ OR behind schedule (n = 23) ▪ Scheduling error (n = 5) ▪ Implants not available (n = 1) ▪ No bed available (n = 21) ▪ Equipment unavailable (n = 6) ▪ Patient not instructed appropriately to stop drinking water (n = 1)	▪ Change in treatment plan (n = 6) ▪ Emergency/life-saving case that occupied the OR (n = 3) ▪ Surgeon not available (n = 4) ▪ Surgeon was operating in another hospital (n = 1) ▪ Surgeon was travelling (n = 1) ▪ Surgeon sick (n = 1)
Patient Related (n = 87 or 33.3 %)	▪ Patient did not show up for surgery (n = 29)	▪ Change in medical status (n = 31) ▪ Abnormal test (n = 5) ▪ Difficult unobtainable IV access (n = 1) ▪ Patient family refused surgery (n = 2) ▪ Patient postponed (n = 2) ▪ Patient left against medical advice (n = 1) ▪ Patient changed mind about surgery while in hospital (n = 7) ▪ Patient had a panic attack (n = 1) ▪ Patient refused surgery (n = 4) ▪ Preoperative instructions not followed properly (n = 4)

n = 261