SAME-DAY ADMISSION THYROIDECTOMY PROGRAM - QUALITY ASSURANCE STUDY

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a same-day admission thyroidectomy programme. Design: Prospective patie nt surveys and a retrospective quality assurance study were conducted. Method: 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. Ea rly in the process, staff evaluation of the programme was also surveye d. 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, pat ient and staff acceptance of the new programme was high. Conclusion: O ur success with this programme has encouraged us to apply these concep ts to more complex surgical patients.