title: Patient satisfaction and postoperative demands on hospital and community services after day surgery.
abstract: This study presents the outcome of a survey of patients satisfaction following day surgery and an assessment of the level of contact between patients and community services within the first 48 h after discharge from a day-surgery unit. A total of 953 patients were provided with a self-completion questionnaire after day surgery; replies were received from 557 (58.4 per cent). Areas investigated regarding overall satisfaction were outpatient services, admission procedure, day-surgery services, preoperative and postoperative information, and postoperative pain relief. The incidence of contact with the hospital or community services in the 48 h after operation was also recorded. Overall satisfaction following day surgery was very high. Only 2.5 per cent of respondents reported that they had needed to contact the hospital within 24 h of discharge. Contact with community services in the 48 h after operation was minimal. Only 4.3 per cent consulted their general practitioner and 1.4 per cent a district nurse. For the small number of patients who did contact the hospital or their general practitioner, the most frequent reason was a problem with pain management.
authors.affiliation: St Mary's Hospital NHS Trust, Newport, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sallam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000592:standards*