Sustainability of short stay after breast cancer surgery in early adopter hospitals

Between 2005 and 2007 a short stay programme for breast cancer surgery was successfully implemented in early adopter hospitals. The current study evaluates the sustainability of this success five years following implementation.A retrospective audit of 160 consecutive patients undergoing breast cancer surgery was performed five years following implementation of short stay.The total proportion of patients treated in short stay was 82% (hospital 1 83%, hospital 2 78%, hospital 3 87%, hospital 4 80%) after five years follow-up, which was comparable to the proportion in short stay directly after implementation (p = 0.938). Overall compliance to the key recommendations to facilitate short stay after breast cancer surgery increased from 65% directly after implementation to 78% five years after implementation.This study shows that short stay after breast cancer surgery was successfully sustained in early adopter hospitals five years following implementation.