Criteria to determine readiness for discharge after pulmonary surgery

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to establish a consensus on criteria to determine readiness for hospital discharge to the patient's own home after pulmonary surgery in Denmark. METHODS: All Danish board-certified thoracic surgeons were invited to give their expert opinion on which criteria they use to determine readiness for discharge following pulmonary surgery. Opinions were collected and a consensus was achieved through a three-round Delphi survey. In round 1, experts gave their opinions in free text. In round 2, answers were grouped and rated using a five-point Likert scale. In round 3, group answers from round 2 were presented for re-evaluation, and experts were given the opportunity to change their ranking in accordance with the Delphi methodology. To minimise peer influence, individual responses were anonymised and presented without attribution. Consensus was achieved when at least 75% of the experts in round 3 rated discharge criteria and endpoints four or more on a Likert scale. RESULTS: Among 31 experts, 30 (97%) participated in all three rounds. Consensus was achieved on 23 specific endpoints covering chest drain removal, respiratory function, pain management, mobilisation, arrhythmia, infection, oral intake and self-care. CONCLUSIONS: A consensus was reached on discharge criteria after pulmonary surgery based on opinions from specialist thoracic surgeons across all institutions performing thoracic surgery in Denmark. These results may facilitate future research in enhanced recovery after surgery and enable differentiation between readiness for discharge and actual discharge.None. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not relevant.