Outpatient surgery, also known as ambulatory surgery, same-day surgery or day surgery, is surgery that does not require an overnight hospital stay. The term “outpatient” arises from the fact that surgery patients may go home and do not need an overnight hospital. Patients may go home after being released following surgery and time spent in the recovery room.
The services provided can be generally called procedures. In simple terms, outpatient-qualified procedures can be considered procedures that are more intensive than those done in the average doctor’s office but not so intensive as to require a hospital stay. Some examples or outpatient procedures and surgeries provided at RCHC are colonoscopies, endoscopies, excisions, and gallbladder surgery to name a few. Patients should check with their physician for all information covering preparation for outpatient procedures.