ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: During last 20 years, ambulatory surgery has been recognized as a convenient and highly efficient medical field due to improved medical skill and new anesthetics suitable for ambulatory patients. Therefore, it has become to popular in United States and Europe. Recently Korean doctors began to recognize the importance of ambulatory surgery and run Day Surgery Center(DSC) at several hospitals. The aim of this study is therefore to share our experience in management of DSC. METHODS: The analysis of information about DSC of Samsung Medical Center was based on questionnaire by 213 people(patients and their family) and 299 people who involved in our survey from August to September in 1995 and 1997, respectively. The contents of questionnaire were as follows: prerequisite knowledge of DSC, satisfactory levels of telephone visit, appointment and registration process, kindness of medical personnel, medical cost, medical technique and service of DSC, and problems to be improved. RESULTS: Prerequisite understanding of DSC was 30 and 32.8% in 1995 and 1997, respectively, indicating small increase in two years. however, 92.8% of people involved in the survey in 1997 showed positive response to the system of DSC and also 94% were content with the whole medical technique and service of DSC in 1997, comparable with 66% in 1995. CONCLUSIONS: We report that ambulatory surgery is a promising medical area by reducing medical cost, increasing efficiency of hospital management and conferring satisfaction to patients. We expect that such a qualified medical service as ambulatory surgery will be settled down in our country in near future.