Ambulatory Anesthesia: Restructuring for Success: A Review Article

Ambulatory or same-day surgery is becoming increasingly common as a cost-effective alternative to inpatient surgery. However, ambulatory anaesthesia services face unique challenges in transitioning patients efficiently through the perioperative period in a safe and timely manner. This review examines strategies for restructuring ambulatory anaesthesia services to maximize efficiency, quality of care and patient satisfaction. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library to identify studies evaluating models of ambulatory anaesthesia care. Studies were included that reported on structured preoperative assessment, standardized anaesthesia protocols, enhanced recovery after surgery pathways and postoperative ambulatory anaesthesia units. The results demonstrate that standardized protocols, multidisciplinary teams, dedicated pre-assessment clinics and postoperative ambulatory units can streamline perioperative care and reduce costs while maintaining high-quality outcomes for ambulatory surgery patients. Further research is still needed to identify optimal models of care, especially for more complex ambulatory procedures. Overall, this review provides an evidence-based framework to guide the restructuring of ambulatory anaesthesia services. Key words: Ambulatory anaesthesia, Enhanced recovery, Preoperative assessment, Postoperative unit, Anesthesia protocol