Audit of procedural sedation complications using a novel digital application

Multidisciplinary UK guidance1,2 sets Fundamental Standards (commonly termed Minimum Standards) for procedural sedation. International guidance is similar.3,4 Regular audit of sedation practice and outcomes and institutional oversight (typically through a Sedation Committee) are Minimum Standards, generally applicable including private practice and non-operating room environments. Despite clear guidance, few data describe adherence to sedation standards and their relationship to complications across specialties. Many UK clinical facilities lack electronic records, and comprehensive linked systems (as would permit an overview) are rare. We developed a simple and free software App (The SEDlog app is available at https://sedate-uk.com/; illustrated in Online Supplementary Materials S1) which is recommended to participants in UK sedation training events and others interested. To facilitate compliance, the dataset has been constrained to key elements. We reviewed these data to establish compliance with Minimum Standards and to evaluate differences in practice across therapeutic areas. Selection of drugs and application of monitoring were at the discretion of the sedationist, and reflected local practice, case mix, and procedural requirements.