RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to obtain consensus on the suitability (or nonsuitability) of outpatient facilities for 15 ENT surgical procedures, to identify the factors involved in the decision making, and to use the Delphi method to evaluate it for this purpose. METHOD: A prospective study of 26 practising otolaryngologists in the Province of Quebec, using the Delphi method (3 rounds), was conducted. Fifteen adult and nine paediatric surgical procedures were included. RESULTS: Consensus (85% agreement) was obtained for eight procedures: septoplasty, rhinoplasty, endoscopic sinus surgery, otoplasty, mastotympanoplasty, lymph node biopsy, and branchial cyst excision (outpatient procedures) and tracheostomy (inpatient procedure). CONCLUSION: The Delphi method has been useful in initiating a process of rationalization about outpatient surgery.
