Diseases of the colon and rectum
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Recent pressures to decrease the cost of medical care have mandated preoperative outpatient bowel preparation (OBP) for elective colorectal surgery without any data documenting equivalent quality of care. This study examined the safety and efficacy of OBP compared with inpatient bowel preparation (IBP). ⋯ Outpatient bowel preparation for elective colorectal surgery is safe and effective. It offers shorter hospital stay, and, therefore, potentially reduces medical care cost. Patients with multiple medical problems may not tolerate extensive fluid shifts; therefore, other preoperative arrangements, such as inpatient or outpatient intravenous fluid therapy, need to be considered to minimize complications that may outweigh potential cost savings.