Same-Day Discharge for Nonperforated Appendicitis in Children
Same-day Discharge Following Appendectomy
We are reducing hospital stay and increasing patient and family satisfaction for pediatric patients who have undergone a laparoscopic appendectomy for nonperforated appendicitis.
The evolving demands for enhanced efficiency and safety while decreasing hospital length of stay led to an institutional protocol for same-day discharge (SDD) after laparoscopic appendectomy for nonperforated appendicitis at Children’s Mercy. The surgical team designed a study to assess the effectiveness of this protocol by evaluating discharge success, duration of hospital stay and readmission rates. The team performed a retrospective review of charts of patients treated between December 2015 and July 2017. Each of the 569 patients included in the study was classified based on whether they were discharged to home the same day as their operation or were kept for an overnight stay. Review of chart data revealed an 87 percent rate of SDD following surgery for nonperforated appendicitis.
The protocol provides high-quality surgical care without compromising safety, leading to increased patient satisfaction, and reduced postoperative length of stay. Also, it does not lead to higher hospital readmission rates. In addition, there is a cost benefit, reducing hospital charges per patient. The success of the SDD protocol is a result of many factors. Two main contributing factors were providing consistent, specific messaging to families about SDD and creating an extended stay observation. Read the full publication here.