A Study to Determine the Feasibility of Establishing a Day Surgery Program at Hendrick Memorial Hospital, Abilene, Texas
Abstract
The study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of establishing a day surgery program at Hendrick Memorial Hospital, Abilene, Texas. The study methodology employed personal interviews, a limited-scope community study, analysis of historical data for a five-year period, a written physician survey, a third-party payor questionnaire, and a review of current literature. A conceptual model was developed, and three alternative implementing plans were formulated. For each of the plans, annual costs of operation were projected and per patient charges were estimated. Physician and third-party payor responses were favorable and indicated support for the proposed program. It was determined that the potential day surgery workload would prove sufficient to support a program as a viable endeavor. It was estimated that substantial savings could be realized by patients electing a day surgery option in lieu of hospitalization for minor surgery. Analysis of workload data, however, indicated that the hospital had historically underutilized available inpatient resources. Neither a chronic waiting list for beds nor operating room backlog was found to exist. It was concluded that implementation of a day surgery program would serve to reduce inpatient bed occupancy, days of inpatient care rendered, and gross revenues from inpatient operations. In light of the adverse financial ramifications, it was concluded that the hospital should not implement a day surgery program until inpatient beds and operating room resources proved chronically inadequate to meet the surgical workload encountered. A final recommendation pertained to the hospitals giving consideration to the implementation of an early-discharge program as a mechanism for reducing health care costs to patients, rather than a day surgery program.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 31, 1975
- Accession Number
- AD1204203
Entities
People
- Samuel A. Jr Brown