Optimizing tracheostomy care: A new pathway for faster recovery

In January 2024, the multidisciplinary tracheostomy team at the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) launched a tracheostomy pathway pilot project to reduce delays in intervention, optimize patient trajectories and shorten the time patients need a tracheostomy tube, ultimately helping to prevent complications and reduce hospital stays.

A tracheostomy is a surgical opening in the trachea where a small tube is inserted to help a patient breathe. A person may need a tracheostomy to help with long-term ventilation, to keep the airway open after an injury or to protect the airway. A tracheostomy can be permanent or temporary.

The multidisciplinary tracheostomy team at the MGH has been optimizing standardized care for patients with tracheostomy tubes since 2005. The team includes respiratory therapists, speech-language pathologists, advanced practice nurses and trauma surgeons, all working together to improve patient outcomes.

“During the seven-month trial period of the new pathway, 71 per cent of patients had their tracheostomy tube successfully removed earlier than usual,” explains Tin Tjoe, interim advanced practice nurse in the Surgery Department at the MGH. “The team is currently finalizing the pathway and we hope to involve many more patients across all MUHC sites to make the project even more successful.”

We would like to thank Dr. Atif Jastaniah and Dr. Jeremy Grushka; the entire team of respiratory therapists – including Sylvie Boileau-Thibault, Catherine Renaud, and Nancy Fong; speech-language pathologists - Alena Seresova and Yasmine Kheloufi and advanced practice nurses - Carissa Wong, Raphaelle Bastarache and Tin Tjoe for this initiative and their vision for the best quality of patient care.