Patient satisfaction with short stays for radical prostatectomy

Objectives. We evaluated the effects on patient satisfaction of shortened postoperative hospital stays after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). Methods. A previously validated, self-administered instrument was used to assess satisfaction with care in a retrospective, cross-sectional study of 129 men who had undergone RRP after implementation of a short-stay clinical care pathway. Health-related quality of life outcomes, comorbidity, and sociodemographic data were also measured with established instruments. Results. Satisfaction with care was uniformly high and did not vary with length of stay (LOS), time since surgery, or health-related quality of life. Conclusions. Decreased LOS mandated by the need for a cost-efficiency path does not adversely affect patient satisfaction. (C) 1997, Elsevier Science Inc.