Over the past decade in Australia, day surgery has become progressively more prevalent and is rapidly increasing in popularity.

This is not only because of improvements in anaesthetic and surgical techniques but is also due to advances in pharmacological agents. Day surgery has progressed from a few simple procedures performed under local anaesthetic to a myriad of procedures performed under a variety of anaesthetic techniques. Simply put, surgical health care is moving away from traditional hospitalisation.

For patients requiring surgery, the day centre is seen as a more pleasant and convenient environment than the traditional hospital setting. The patient is regarded as a healthy person coming to the facility for a minor procedure in an atmosphere that is positive and cheerful. The care is more convenient, more flexible and less of an imposition on patients and their families. Overall, the potential unpleasantness of the medical setting is reduced.

Importantly, recent emphasis on health care cost containment is often cited as a major reason for the remarkable popularity of day surgery. There is absolutely no doubt that an operation in a day centre costs significantly less than a similar procedure in a hospital setting.

The emphasis in a day surgery, therefore, is to provide a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for patients and their families as well as medical, nursing and support staff.