Medical Card: Your Key to Efficient Day Surgery

An elective surgery is a surgical procedure that can be scheduled in advance, typically to address a non-life-threatening condition. Minor elective surgeries have been performed regularly in hospitals for years. However, over the last three decades, there has been a dramatic switch from inpatient to day surgery.

The pros of day-care surgery are being promoted by medical professionals, health policymakers, and healthcare providers because of advancements in medical technology, surgical skills, and anaesthetic agents and techniques.

In this article, we discuss the characteristics of day surgery that make it an effective alternative to traditional inpatient surgery for specific patients and how a medical card can help with the costs.

What is day care surgery?

Day care surgery is where a patient is admitted for a surgical operation or medical investigation on a planned non-resident basis. As such, they do not stay overnight for observation and monitoring at the medical institution. So, in essence, patients get discharged in less than 24 hours with day care surgeries.

These surgeries are being implemented across multi-speciality hospitals for procedures like flexible cystoscopy, cosmetic surgery, dental surgery, etc. Additionally, with the evolution of perioperative care and anaesthesia in terms of more enhanced anaesthetic agents, and acute pain management, day surgeries will see increased adoption across more hospitals. 

Overall, for a medical procedure to qualify as a day surgery operation, it should:

• Carry minimal risk of major postoperative complications that may dictate immediate intervention, for example, haemorrhage or cardiovascular instability.

• Not require prolonged specialist post-operative observation or care.

• Employ minimally invasive techniques to, for example, open abdominal and thoracic cavities.

• Enable post-operative pain management via oral analgesics, or without regional anaesthetic techniques.

• Be characterised by rapid resumption of normal functions like oral nutrition, and early and safe mobilisation.

• Constitute minimal anaesthesia-related side effects such as post-operative nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, urinary retention, etc.

 

 

Day surgery examples

In practice, day care surgical patients arrive early in the morning, and after the surgery is done, they undergo post-operative observation. And if this proves uneventful, they are discharged the same day. This is the general concept of day surgery.

Day surgery usually incorporates a post-operation stay of 4 to 6 hours. However, with more complicated surgical procedures, longer stays may be recommended. Nonetheless, the procedure must have been booked as a day case before the patient's admission.

Overall, in day surgery hospital units, patients receive treatment that’s better suited and focused on their exact needs. This allows them to expeditiously return home to recover in a familiar home environment.

However, day care surgery isn’t only for minor procedures that don’t require extensive postoperative monitoring. They can also be deployed for more complex surgeries that don’t require overnight hospital stays.

A patient's eligibility for day care surgery depends on several factors. For example, the type of procedure, underlying chronic diseases, and even the availability of appropriate postoperative care.

For the most part, the procedures below qualify as day care surgeries include:

• Bunion operation

• Haemorrhoidectomy

• Cataract surgery

• Orchidectomy

• Hernia repair

• Circumcision

• Tonsillectomy

• Endoscopy

• Arthroscopy

• Colonoscopy

• Gastroscopy Banding

• Reduction of nasal fracture

• Cosmetic surgery

• Dental surgery

• Correction of squint

• Simple gynaecological procedures

• Simple orthopaedic procedures (for example, joint aspiration)

• Plastic surgery

• Carpal tunnel decompression

• Urological surgery

 

 

What are the advantages of day care surgery?

The advantages of day care surgery are two-pronged, both for hospitals and patients.

Advantages for hospitals

Economic savings

Day care surgery is a money-saving modality for hospitals unlike traditional surgery, where patients must stay there for days or weeks. It can help reduce surgery waiting lists and rationalise the costs of surgical treatments. 

They also cost less for hospitals in terms of manpower as they save on doctors and nurses who might be required for monitoring and observation.

More available beds

Day care surgeries leave more beds available for emergency or critically ill patients. Hospitals also save medical disposables like bandages and cannulas for emergency patients needing life-saving procedures.

Less Nosocomial infections

If patients spend a significant amount of time in the hospital, they increase their risk of catching nosocomial infections (also known as hospital-acquired infections). For example, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and gastrointestinal infections.

Less shift work for nurses

Day care surgeries free up nurses to focus more on critically ill patients who require longer hospital stays. Nurses are less physically drained and more efficient with their workload because these procedures are conventionally less complicated and require less postoperative care than inpatient surgeries.

Advantages for patients

Dates of surgery are pre-booked and less likely to be cancelled

Day care surgeries are pre-booked and pre-planned. Patients can plan their schedules accordingly and easily arrange transportation to and from the day care centre.

Minimal disruption to personal life

Because patients can recover at home, there is minimal disruption to their personal lives. This also means they can return to normal activities quickly since most day care surgeries are minimally invasive.

Reduced risk of infections

Because patients do not spend much time in the hospital, there is less risk of exposure to hospital-acquired infections. Furthermore, there is a reduced risk of cross-infection, i.e., transmission of infectious agents from one patient to another.

Reduced loss of time at work

Since day care surgeries pose a minimal risk of postoperative complications, patients may return to work in less time. Thus, they experience lesser chances of loss of earnings as they can promptly return to work.  

Avoid disruptive nights in the hospital and be able to rest better at home

Hospital environments can be somewhat daunting and disheartening. Fortunately, day care surgeries allow patients to recuperate from home, surrounded by loved ones.

Less stressful for the patient

Because day care surgeries are usually scheduled in advance, patients spend less time anxiously waiting for their surgery. And as a result, they are typically less stressed about being in a hospital environment since they will return home quickly. Additionally, some people find it stressful to be in hospitals; day surgery surgeries lessen this.

Covered by insurance

Most health insurers offer coverage for day care procedures, including all pre- and post-hospitalisation expenses towards the treatment. This lifts a burden off most patients.

Unfortunately, many Malaysians are unaware of the utility of medical cards to access day surgery services.

Although the coverage of medical cards insurance may vary depending on the policy provider, insurance companies are accounting for the increase in day care surgeries and many conditions are now covered.

What type of insurance covers day care surgery?

Most medical cards cover day surgeries, allowing patients to choose their doctor and hospital based on their preferences or requirements for care.

What is a medical card?

A medical card is a specialised card that one submits to a hospital as proof of health insurance coverage to allow them to access day care surgery. It’s issued by one’s insurance company and constitutes information about a policyholder’s name, policy number, and the coverage dates.

For example, Prudential’s PRUValue Med, PRUMillion Med 2.0 and PRUMillion Med Active  are all medical insurance plans that cover day surgeries, allowing patients to avoid unnecessary hospital stays.

In addition to day surgeries, these plans also provide outpatient treatment benefits, such as coverage for pre- and post-hospitalisation treatment for both serious and non-serious conditions. This includes outpatient cancer treatment, kidney dialysis, rehabilitation treatment such as physiotherapy, home nursing care, and outpatient treatment for illnesses such as dengue fever, bronchitis, influenza, and pneumonia.

And if you’re worried about insurance premiums, plans such as PRUMillion Med Active are active pricing medical insurance which provides policyholders with a 15% discount on insurance charges with no claims made. Hence, plans such ensure that you’re well covered if you get sick at an affordable price.

Additionally, Prudential’s Hospital Alliance Services (HAS) medical service provides members with medical cards to facilitate their medical insurance claims. This value-added service pre-authorises medical-related claims incurred at any of its partner hospitals, enabling patients to focus on their recovery, without the burden of up-front payment.

For more information, check out Prudential’s ‘Quick Guide to Day Surgery’.

How to choose a medical card?

When choosing a medical insurer, kindly:

• Check the coverage to ensure it covers day surgery procedures, including surgery, and specific procedures you may require.

• Consider the associated out-of-pocket costs and check if they offer additional benefits like cashless treatment.

• Check if the insurer has a vast network of speciality hospitals that offer day surgery.

• Read online reviews to ensure that you select a reputable provider.

 

Fortunately, Prudential's Wealth Planners can help you get hassle-free insurance in Malaysia by assessing your needs and budget to help you make the right choice.

Conclusion

In summary, day surgeries have greatly evolved and become safer due to advances in anaesthesia and surgical techniques. As such, day surgeries now offer a standardised care pathway for many patients and procedures usually treated through inpatient pathways.

With shorter hospital stays, early mobilisation and reduced hospital-acquired infection rates, day surgery is a preferred option whenever possible. Compounded by shorter waiting times, less risk of cancellation, medical card coverage and the preference of their surroundings to recover, day care or 'ambulatory surgery' will only gain more adoption.