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Experience with day stay surgery
Insights
Day stay surgery offers cost savings and reduced patient stress. Improving communication and logistics can enhance this pediatric surgical model.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Hospital Administration
- Patient Experience
Background:
- Day stay surgery, initiated in 1974, aims for cost savings and better resource utilization.
- Successful implementation relies on careful patient selection, adequate facilities, and robust follow-up.
- This model seeks to reduce stress for pediatric patients and their families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the utilization and management of a pediatric day stay surgery program.
- To evaluate parental attitudes towards day stay surgery, identifying benefits and challenges.
- To provide recommendations for optimizing the day stay surgical service.
Main Methods:
- Review of surgical admissions and facility utilization data.
- Analysis of current practices in patient assessment, preparation, and management.
- Evaluation of parental feedback on their day stay surgery experience.
Main Results:
- Significant increase in day stay surgery utilization over the past two years.
- Parental feedback highlighted issues with information, transport, and operation timing.
- Identified advantages include cost-effectiveness and improved facility use.
Conclusions:
- Day stay surgery is a viable and increasingly utilized model for pediatric surgical care.
- Enhancing pre-operative communication, information dissemination, and logistical support is crucial.
- Addressing parental concerns regarding transport, parking, and operation scheduling can improve patient and family satisfaction.
Abstract:
Potential advantages of day stay surgery are cost saving, improved utilization of staff and hospital facilities, and reduction of stress for the paediatric patient and his family. The successful program requires careful case selection, full operating and anesthetic facilities and good follow-up. Day stay surgery was initiated at Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children in 1974. Experience is reviewed in relation to the total number and nature of surgical admissions and the daily utilisation of the facility. Utilization has markedly increased in the past 2 yr. Current practice is reviewed with regard to initial assessment, preparation for surgery and overall management during the day admission. Parental attitudes towards day stay surgery were evaluated indicating both the advantages and the problems encountered. These related mainly to insufficient information, transport difficulties and afternoon operations. Recommendations for improving the day stay service are discussed with special reference to: (1) communication with the parents as to adequate pre-operative explanation, revision of the day stay information pamphlet and improved distribution, and clear postoperative instructions, (2) the timing of operations, and (3) transport and parking facilities.