Objective To increase cost-efficiency while maintaining the standard o
f medical care, an accelerated surgical stay program for patients havi
ng breast surgery was instituted. Summary Background Data In the past
20 years, annual health care costs have soared and now comprise 12.2%
of the United States gross national product. The annual inflation rate
of almost 11% has prompted third-party payers to scrutinize hospital
costs as hospitals now consume 38% of health care costs. Methods A mul
tidisciplinary task force was formed to analyze and reduce lengths of
stay for breast surgeries and to standardize clinical protocols to add
ress ensuing issues. Results After 1 year, this prospective study foun
d a 39% decrease in average length of stay and a 22% increase in patie
nt volume. This was also accompanied by a low incidence of surgical co
mplications. Through information obtained from 373 consecutive patient
s through telephone surveys and questionnaires, the Center for Cost-Ef
fective Care reported high patient acceptance and satisfaction. Conclu
sions As a management strategy, accelerated surgical stay programs inc
rease operating efficiency and reduce medical care costs without compr
omising quality of patient care. Success of this program was attribute
d to support from senior management, expansion of available educationa
l resources for patients, and to a carefully planned transition from t
he program's developmental to its operational phase.