[The anesthesia outpatient department. A structure in keeping with the Health Service Reform]

Attention is drawn to the pressing need to establish out-patient departments for anaesthesia and anaesthesiological treatment within anaesthesia, resuscitation and intensive therapy services. In addition to offering specialist services, such as anaesthesiological therapy, and such services as may be in keeping with the local situation, such departments should be engaged in research, and towards the provision of preoperative anaesthesiological management prior to admission, on behalf of patients undergoing surgery of choice, so as to cut down the overlong period of preoperative stay. An assessment is made of the economic and social benefits of such departments, particularly in the light of the experience gained from similar structures that have long been in use in other countries.