A survey of patient satisfaction after day case surgery.

A prospective survey of patients attending day case surgery was undertaken to determine patient satisfaction. In an eight-week prospective study, patients undergoing procedures in the day surgical unit were asked to fill in two questionnaires, the first before surgery and the second two weeks after surgery. One hundred and eighty-nine patients were recruited into the study; of these, 98 (52.4%) returned correctly completed forms. Most of the patients believed the information given them before surgery was adequate and the standard of care in the day unit was high. Only five patients needed to see their general practitioner because of continued problems. Twenty-one patients felt they were discharged too early. Our current practice in day case surgery inevitably leads to some patients being discharged early. Facilities must be provided for some patients to stay longer in the day unit. Day case surgery did not result in an unacceptable increase in the workload for GPs, nor did it compromise the quality of patient care.