Performance of General Surgical Procedures in Outpatient Settings Before and After Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Widespread diffusion of minimally invasive technologies and advances in perioperative care have substantially reduced the length of time that patients spend in the hospital recovering from surgery. In the current climate of value-based care, surgical procedures are increasingly performed in an outpatient setting. The adoption of outpatient surgery has been pervasive across surgical subspecialties, with studies describing the feasibility and safety of outpatient procedures such as colectomy,^1,2 inguinal hernia repair,³ and adrenalectomy.⁴ Benefits of same-day discharge include a reduced risk of exposure to nosocomial infections, cost savings due to reduced use of resources, and increased patient satisfaction due to the ability to convalesce in familiar surroundings.⁵