Outpatient surgery: its perils and prospects

Largely because of economic considerations, outpatient surgery has been substituted for inpatient surgery with increasing frequency in recent years. It is now believed that 50% or even more of patients requiring surgery can be safely treated without remaining in the hospital overnight. To ensure optimal patient care and to protect the hospital, CEOs must understand the factors governing the selection of patients for outpatient surgery and the potential for liability. They should also be aware of regulatory developments that will affect ambulatory surgery in the next several years and why hospitals may be at a competitive disadvantage.