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Which day of the week is the best one to schedule a hospital procedure?

Studies have shown that patients admitted at the beginning of the week stay in the hospital a shorter amount of time.

The worst day of the week to be admitted for a procedure is Thursday.   A recent report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) discovered that hospital patients stay is extended a day longer than necessary if they are admitted on a Thursday compared with being admitted on a Sunday.   The surprising reason for this trend was not due to medical necessity, but because many hospitals operate with reduced service/staff on the weekend, creating delays in treatment and discharge. 

The ippr argues that people should be kept in hospital for the minimum time necessary for their treatment and that being in hospital for shorter periods helps speed recovery for a number of reasons.   First, they are less likely to contract a hospital-associated infection. Second, they are away from home and family for less time, which helps speed up recovery time.   In addition, rehabilitation at home can help patients adapt to living safely in their normal routine, rather than staying in the hospital and being sent home without support.   Of course, minimizing hospital stays also helps reduce medical costs and allows more patients to be treated, so others have shorter waiting times and resources can be used to improve other services.

All of these reasons provide a good incentive to try and schedule non-emergency procedures for early in the week in an attempt to reduce your hospital time.   Also, please insure that you have a trustworthy family member or friend accessible that understands your wishes and can act as an advocate on your behalf.   They may be able to speed your discharge time since they are mobile and can more quickly access staff and services.

For more info about the ippr's research, please click this link