Gynaecological day surgery at an area hospital 1983-1987.
An eight bedded self-contained day unit for minor gynaecological surgery was opened in November 1982 at Craigavon Area Hospital. In the five years from 1 January 1983 to 31 December 1987, 2091 minor procedures have been performed in the unit, or 32.85% of the total gynaecological operations. The waiting time from consultation until admission for minor surgery was reduced from 2-3 months in 1983 to 2-3 weeks in 1987 and major surgery from 5-6 months to 1-2 months. Allied to this improvement in patient service has been an increase in the in-patient major surgery operation rate, resulting in 100 extra major operations per year. Although costs of treatment in the day procedure unit were lower than the average cost for a 24 hour in-patient stay, the cost per patient is dependent upon the total patient throughput of the unit and the number of days it is used. Complication rates (ie transfer to in-patient facilities for complications of surgery or anaesthesia) are low at 1.85%.
Ashe
R G
RG
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Craigavon Area Hospital, Portadown, Co., Armagh.
Corrigan
D B
DB
Myles
T J
TJ
D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D013531:Surgicenters / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D014850:Waiting Lists; D000078329:Workforce