Attitude of patients attending the surgical clinic towards a day surgical unit

OBJECTIVE: To establish awareness and attitude of patients attending the general surgical clinic in Dammam Central Hospital, Dammam, Eastern Province towards a day surgery unit. Also, to establish the reasons for their preference to have surgery performed as inpatients or in the day surgery unit.

METHODS: Some 100 consecutive patients attending the surgical clinic of a single consultant surgeon at Dammam Central Hospital were surveyed. Patients who can neither read nor write were excluded. They were asked to answer a simple questionnaire on day surgery and their preference to have their minor operations under general anesthesia performed as a day surgery procedure or as an inpatient.

RESULTS: There were 64 males and 36 females of various professions. Ninety-four patients aged 15-45 years. Thirty-two patients gave the correct definition of day surgery while 38 patients did not know, and had never heard of the term and 30 patients gave wrong definitions. Only 30 patients preferred their surgery to be conducted as day surgery. Forty-five of 70 patients (64%) who preferred inpatient care felt they would be receiving better care in hospital and 16 (23%) felt happier to be looked after by their surgeon in the first few postoperative days to avoid complications. Nine females of the 70 patients who preferred inpatient surgery (13%) felt that hospital is a better place for rest after surgery and to get a way from husband, children and housework.

CONCLUSION: The majority of our patients are unaware of the safety and services provided by a day surgical unit. Major work is needed to educate patients attending our clinics about the advantages of day surgery with the aim of improving their attitude towards it.