Moscow Boosts Access to Same-Day Minimally Invasive Surgery

Replacing lengthy hospitalization with a single day has become possible thanks to the large-scale development of short-stay hospitals in Moscow. The number of minimally invasive operations performed without a long hospital stay has increased fivefold over the past five years. In total, over 200,000 such operations were performed in the city over the past year.

Deputy Mayor for Social Development Anastasia Rakova spoke about the expansion of rapid surgery capabilities:

«Thanks to the introduction of the latest equipment and minimally invasive approaches, many operations that previously required lengthy preparation, execution, and recovery now take place in a »one-day« mode. We perform them in short-stay hospitals—a format in which all care, from hospitalization to postoperative observation, is completed within 24 hours, without a long stay in the hospital. Today, Muscovites can receive prompt and high-quality treatment in short-stay hospitals based at 28 of the city»s largest adult and children«s hospitals.»

It is added that patients are offered free care under the compulsory health insurance (OMI) policy. It is especially important to note the diversity of possible operations: adults have access to solutions in eight main medical areas, children in seven. Doctors perform operations in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, ophthalmology, traumatology, urology, and cardiovascular surgery. Additionally, otolaryngologists and maxillofacial surgeons provide care.

Attention is paid to convenient patient navigation. First, an examination is conducted at the clinic at the place of residence, then a referral is issued, and the date and schedule of the visit are coordinated. All activities are carried out on the same day, including the operation itself and subsequent observation by a doctor.

City residents have already appreciated this approach. For example, vision recovery after cataract surgery, correction of hearing aid defects, or joint plastic surgery can often be completed in less than a couple of hours. People return to their normal lives literally the day after the intervention.

The successful result has been made possible by constant investment in healthcare development. Expanding short-stay hospitals based on the capital«s largest hospitals remains an important part of the program to increase the accessibility and efficiency of medical care in Moscow.