Total quality management in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Quality of care and quality perception in ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
OBJECTIVE
Analysis of acceptance and perception of quality in patients undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy.


METHODS
84 consecutive patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy within SVS (Servei Valencia de Salut) through a special plan for waiting lists.


METHODS
A prospective analysis of related variables with quality perception evaluated by a specialized nurse with no interaction with the surgical team.


RESULTS
Ambulatory acceptance, 80 percent; return to work or daily activities at 72 hours after surgery, 40 percent. Extra need of medical attention was as follows: emergency general practitioner 2.7 percent, emergency room attention in 1.3 percent, extra telephone interview with the surgeon 6.0 percent. Global estimation of the procedure was very good or good by 94.7 percent.


CONCLUSIONS
High acceptance rate, high quality perception. Up to 20 percent of patients would change from ambulatory to traditional surgery, possibly due to cultural factors.
Planells Roig
M
M
Instituto de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo (ICAD), Clínica Quirón, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 14, 46010 Valencia, Spain. mplanells@bsab.com
Sánchez Salas
A
A
Sanahuja Santafé
A
A
Bueno Lledó
J
J
Serralta Serra
A
A
García Espinosa
R
R
Arnal Bertomeu
C
C
D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000592:standards*; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D013030:Spain; D017749:Total Quality Management