BACKGROUND: Single visit surgery (SVS) consists of same-day pre-operative assessment and operation with telephone post-operative follow-up. This reduces family time commitment to 1 hospital trip rather than 2-3. We began SVS for ambulatory patients with clear surgical indications in 2013. We sought to determine family satisfaction, cost savings to families, and institutional financial feasibility of SVS. METHODS: SVS patients were compared to age/case matched conventional surgery (CS) patients. Satisfaction was assessed by post-operative telephone survey. Family costs were calculated as the sum of lost revenue (based on median income) and transportation costs ($0.50/mile). RESULTS: Satisfaction was high in both groups (98% for SVS vs. 93% for CS; p=0.27). 40% of CS families indicated that they would have preferred SVS, whereas no SVS families indicated preference for the CS option (p<0.001). Distance from the hospital did not correlate with satisfaction. Estimated cost savings for an SVS family was $188. Reimbursement, hospital and physician charges, and day-of-surgery cancellation rates were similar. CONCLUSIONS: SVS provides substantial cost savings to families while maintaining patient satisfaction and equivalent institutional reimbursement. SVS is an effective approach to low-risk ambulatory surgical procedures that is less disruptive to families, facilitates access to pediatric surgical care, and reduces resource utilization. TYPE OF STUDY: Cost Effectiveness Study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.
BACKGROUND: Single visit surgery (SVS) consists of same-day pre-operative assessment and operation with telephone post-operative follow-up. This reduces family time commitment to 1 hospital trip rather than 2-3. We began SVS for ambulatory patients with clear surgical indications in 2013. We sought to determine family satisfaction, cost savings to families, and institutional financial feasibility of SVS. METHODS:SVSpatients were compared to age/case matched conventional surgery (CS) patients. Satisfaction was assessed by post-operative telephone survey. Family costs were calculated as the sum of lost revenue (based on median income) and transportation costs ($0.50/mile). RESULTS: Satisfaction was high in both groups (98% for SVS vs. 93% for CS; p=0.27). 40% of CS families indicated that they would have preferred SVS, whereas no SVS families indicated preference for the CS option (p<0.001). Distance from the hospital did not correlate with satisfaction. Estimated cost savings for an SVS family was $188. Reimbursement, hospital and physician charges, and day-of-surgery cancellation rates were similar. CONCLUSIONS:SVS provides substantial cost savings to families while maintaining patient satisfaction and equivalent institutional reimbursement. SVS is an effective approach to low-risk ambulatory surgical procedures that is less disruptive to families, facilitates access to pediatric surgical care, and reduces resource utilization. TYPE OF STUDY: Cost Effectiveness Study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.
Authors: Cory N Criss; Johnathan Brown; Joshua S Gish; Samir K Gadepalli; Ronald B Hirschl Journal: Pediatr Surg Int Date: 2018-05-28 Impact factor: 1.827
Authors: Kelly M A Dreuning; Joep P M Derikx; Ayoub Ouali; Liedewij M J Janssen; Maurits W van Tulder; Jos W R Twisk; Lotte Haverman; L W Ernest van Heurn Journal: Eur J Pediatr Surg Date: 2021-12-02 Impact factor: 1.794