Outcomes of Day Care Surgery in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Longitudinal Study

Background Day care surgery offers a cost-effective and efficient alternative to inpatient care, reducing hospital bed occupancy, postoperative complications, and patient inconvenience. In India, its uptake remains limited, particularly in government hospitals. This study evaluates the feasibility, safety, outcomes, and patient satisfaction of day care surgeries in a tertiary care setting. Methodology A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted from November 2022 to October 2024 at a tertiary care academic hospital in Central India. In total, 86 patients, aged 1-90 years, who met the predefined inclusion criteria, underwent various minor and intermediate surgical procedures. Preoperative anesthesia clearance and informed consent were obtained. Postoperative outcomes were assessed using the ASEPSIS score and Visual Analogue Scale on postoperative days (PODs) 3, 7, and 15. Complications, readmissions, and patient satisfaction (Likert scale) were recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square test using Epi Info version 7. Results The mean patient age was 31.24 ± 11.54 years, with a male predominance (72.94%). Spinal anesthesia (51.76%) was the most common, followed by local anesthesia (37.64%). Hernia repair (20.93%) was the most frequently performed procedure. The mean hospital stay was 20.5 ± 2.4 hours. Common complications included postoperative nausea and vomiting (25.88%) and urinary retention (3.52%). By POD 15, 83.72% of patients were pain-free, and 93.02% demonstrated satisfactory wound healing. Readmission occurred in 8.14% of cases, primarily due to urinary retention, uncontrolled pain, or vomiting. Patient satisfaction was high, with 94.12% rating the experience as satisfactory or very satisfactory. Conclusions Day care surgery is a safe, effective, and patient-friendly approach in a tertiary care setting, achieving low complication and readmission rates with high satisfaction. With proper patient selection and structured perioperative protocols, it can optimize resource utilization and improve surgical care delivery in resource-constrained healthcare systems.