Mafraq Hospital, which is owned and operated by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), plans to expand its day surgery unit to accommodate 1,750 patients over the next year.

“Day surgery, which is literally surgery completed in a day with no overnight stay in a hospital, is not an option for every patient, but research has shown that nearly 70 per cent of the inpatient procedures executed worldwide can safely be performed as day surgeries, nearly all of them with fewer side effects and faster recovery times than similar inpatient procedures,” said Dr Magdi Shehata, chief of day surgery at Mafraq Hospital.

Mafraq Hospital plans to develop its current systems to improve access to quality healthcare for all surgical patients.

Mafraq Hospital chief medical officer Dr Mohammad Yaman said: “The expansion will result in shorter wait times before surgery, superior customer care, increased space and resources for emergency procedures and an overall improvement in patient welfare and satisfaction.”

“Approximately 610 patients are admitted to Mafraq Hospital for inpatient surgery each month, yet roughly 40 per cent of these cases could be performed safely as outpatient procedures, allowing patients to return to the comfort of their own homes within a matter of hours,” said Dr Shehata.

Day surgery is most often recommended for short, minimally invasive procedures which carry little to no risk of post-operative complications. Such procedures can include colonoscopies, tonsillectomies and hernia repairs.

According to the World Health Organisation, there are numerous benefits to day surgery, including a significantly smaller risk of infection when compared to inpatient procedures, a reduced disruption to patients’ daily routines, less time off work, a faster recovery time, less pain, and an increase in patient autonomy.

“We have observed that most patients in Europe and North America prefer the efficiency and increased comfort of day surgery versus inpatient procedures,” said Dr Shehata.

“This is not yet the case in the UAE, but we are confident that this expansion will change that; it will result in greater access and increased flexibility to our patients. This is an opportunity for Mafraq Hospital to pioneer outpatient care in the UAE,” he added.

Carl Stanifer, chief executive officer of Seha, said: “A strong and well-used day surgery unit means that we can focus our resources where they are needed most. The Mafraq Day Surgery Unit is taking an innovative approach to outpatient care and we believe this will result in an increase in the already high quality of care offered to patients at Mafraq Hospital.” – TradeArabia News Service