Setting a new standard in post-cardiac procedure care
PULSE Issue 44 | January 2025
Imagine undergoing a heart procedure and being able to be back home to rest, all on the same day. With NUHCS' Same-Day Discharge service, this is now made possible - offering cost savings while promising the same care standards as an overnight hospital stay.
Building on the groundwork laid by A/Prof Adrian Low, Clinician Mentor of Interventional Cardiology and Angiography Centre and Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS), the Same-Day Discharge (SDD) protocol was officially rolled out at NUHCS in September 2023. The institute is one of the first in Singapore to implement a Same-Day Discharge service for all elective patients1 undergoing coronary procedures, such as ballooning and stenting, setting a new benchmark in cardiac care.
This service allows patients to return home just hours after their heart procedure, eliminating the traditional need for an overnight stay for monitoring. Despite the shortened stay, the same standards of care are maintained.
Through an internal audit on patients' recovery and treatment outcomes that even tracks potential risks such as death rates, heart attacks, possible complications of puncture site, or urgent hospital readmissions, the results have shown that being discharged on the same day of a heart procedure is as safe and effective, with no adverse effects or significant difference in patient recovery, as compared to the conventional overnight hospital stay.
Even with a shorter hospital stay, patients continue to benefit from comprehensive post-discharge care. This includes enrolment in the NUHCS Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme, which offers personalised exercise plans and health guidance, empowering heart patients to regain strength and confidence to return to their daily life. Additionally, patients will receive a prompt next-day teleconsultation with their medical team at the comfort of their homes, to ensure that their recovery is monitored closely.
The Same-Day Discharge service after a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)2 procedure offers patients greater comfort and a more seamless transition from hospital to home. With detailed post-discharge care and advice, patients feel well-equipped and comfortable to recover at home. Most patients and their families had expressed their preference for a same-day discharge over an overnight stay at the hospital." - Yap El Fuon, Assistant Nurse Clinician, Angiography Centre, NUHCS
Being one of the first institutes to launch the Same-Day Discharge service in Singapore, the success has garnered interest from other institutes eager to adopt this protocol. NUHCS @ Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) began introducing this service in January 2024, benefitting more patients with streamlined care. NUHCS is also looking into implementing this Same-Day Discharge practice for other cardiovascular treatment procedures, including heart rhythm disorders and structural heart diseases, which typically requires overnight stays.
This innovative approach is poised to significantly enhance patients' experiences and transform the management of post-cardiac procedures across the region.
"We are rolling out same-day discharge for selected pacing3 and Electophysiology4 procedures following the success with coronary interventional procedures. We expect to reap the same benefits in reducing hospital stay without compromising patient safety." - Asst Prof Yeo Wee Tiong, Clinical Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology & Pacing, Dept. of Cardiology, NUHCS
1. Elective patients – Individuals with planned medical treatments or scheduled non-emergency surgeries, for non-life-threatening cases.
2. Percutaneous Coronary Intervention – Minimally invasive procedure performed to open blocked or narrowed heart arteries.
3. Pacing – Surgery where a small medical device, called a pacemaker, is implanted to stabilise irregular heart rhythms.
4. Electrophysiology – Study to assess the heart’s electrical activity and system, for diagnosis and management of abnormal rhythms.
