Patient Experience with Enhanced Recovery and Early Discharge for Minimally Invasive Sacrocolpopexy: A Qualitative Study

Study Objective To describe and compare patients’ experiences with same-day versus next-day discharge after minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy within an enhanced recovery protocol. Design Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Setting Academic institution. Patients or Participants Patients undergoing minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy within an enhanced recovery protocol – discharged the same day as surgery (n=7) or the day following surgery (n=7). Interventions Interviews were conducted between December 2018-February 2019, 2 to 6 weeks after hospital discharge. Topics included: patient preparedness, preoperative education, physical and emotional recovery, and overall perception of the enhanced recovery protocol. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Investigators utilized a grounded theory approach in identifying emergent themes and concepts until saturation was achieved. Measurements and Main Results Patients discharged same day spent more time in the post-anesthesia care unit (314.4 vs 79.7 minutes, p Conclusion Although few participants realized they were part of a protocol, all reported benefit from enhanced recovery after minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy. Screening for the availability of a caregiver and providing information regarding postoperative catheter management are likely important to ensure successful compliance with early discharge goals.