Patient Satisfaction and Experience with Same-Day Discharge after Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Mixed-Methods Study

Same-day discharge (SDD) after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is a safe and effective healthcare pathway. However, there is limited understanding of the patient perspective on SDD. The aim of this study was to explore patient satisfaction and experience with SDD after RYGB. A mixed-methods study with a concurrent design was conducted in a Dutch teaching hospital, using questionnaires and interviews. Patients who underwent RYGB and were discharged on the day of the surgery completed four questionnaires of the BODY-Q (satisfaction with the surgeon, satisfaction with the medical team, satisfaction with the office staff, and satisfaction with information provision) ± 4 months postoperative. The results of the questionnaires were compared with pre-existing data from a cohort of patients who stayed overnight after surgery (i.e., control group). A subset of patients was individually interviewed for an in-depth understanding of the patient perspective on SDD. In the questionnaires, median scores for the control group (n = 158) versus the present group of patients (n = 51) were as follows: 92/100 vs. 92/100 (p = 0.331) for the surgeon, 100/100 vs. 92/100 (p = 0.775) for the medical team, 100/100 vs. 100/100 (p = 0.616) for the office staff, and 90/100 vs. 73/100 (p = 0.015) for information provision. Interviews with 14 patients revealed seven themes, describing high satisfaction, along with several points of interest. Patient satisfaction with SDD after RYGB is high, although information provision regarding the day of surgery could be improved. However, not every medically eligible patient might be suitable for this healthcare pathway, as responsibilities are shifted.