Adaptation and Application of a Patient Satisfaction Survey in a Bariatric Ambulatory Surgery Center: Four-Year Outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Patient satisfaction is a widely used indicator of healthcare quality. As surgeries increasingly transition from hospitals to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), assessing patient satisfaction in these settings has gained importance. However, there is no standardized tool tailored to bariatric ASCs. This study aims to evaluate a patient satisfaction survey adapted for the ASC setting, reflecting its same-day workflow, postoperative timing, and consistent care environment.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively analyzed from a prospectively maintained database over a four-year period from a single ASC. The survey, designed to assess five key components of satisfaction: arrival/reception, staff communication, environment, overall care, and discharge, was administered within 24 h, postoperatively. The cohort included 467 patients undergoing bariatric and concomitant surgeries, including sleeve gastrectomy, duodenal switch, adjustable gastric band removal, and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, along with hiatal hernia repair and other foregut procedures.

RESULTS

The cohort had a mean age of 43 ± 10.5 years, BMI of 38.4 ± 5.2 kg/m, and common comorbidities, including GERD (63.8%) and HTN (45.2%). Patient satisfaction scores in the ASC were consistently high, averaging 9.74-9.95 out of 10, compared to 7.20 for hospital-based surgeries performed by the same surgeon. Despite including complex procedures, the ASC maintained a low 30-day complication rate (2.1%) with no mortalities and a 0.2% hospital transfer rate.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that the tailored patient satisfaction survey effectively captures experiences in bariatric ASCs, with high satisfaction scores correlating with low complication rates and safe outcomes.