Same-day admission thyroidectomy programme: quality assurance study.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a same-day admission thyroidectomy programme.


METHODS
Prospective patient surveys and a retrospective quality assurance study were conducted.


METHODS
Management of the initial 58 patients having a thyroidectomy at St. Joseph's Hospital, London, Ontario, after May 1992 when a same-day admission thyroidectomy programme was initiated, was evaluated. Early in the process, staff evaluation of the programme was also surveyed.


RESULTS
The average length of stay for these patients was reduced from 4.5 to 3.2 days. No operative delays, cancellations, readmissions, or increased complications resulted from the new protocol. Also, patient and staff acceptance of the new programme was high.


CONCLUSIONS
Our success with this programme has encouraged us to apply these concepts to more complex surgical patients.
St. Joseph's Health Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
T W
TW
Matthews
H B
HB
Lampe
S
S
LeBlanc
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000592:standards*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000592:standards*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000592:standards*