A survey of women’s views of Thermachoice endometrial ablation in the outpatient versus day case setting

OBJECTIVE: To determine women's preference towards Thermachoice being performed either awake in the outpatient setting or under general anaesthetic (GA) as a day case. DESIGN: Questionnaire. Setting Large teaching hospital. POPULATION: One hundred women. METHODS: The questionnaire was developed from prior research on factors associated with preference for procedures performed in the outpatient versus day case setting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Describe women's preference towards outpatient versus day case Thermachoice and other menorrhagia treatments. (2) Identify variations in preference by demographic characteristics and prior experience of anaesthesia. Results There was an exact split in preference with 50% preferring Thermachoice as an outpatient and 50% as a day case. The mean age of women preferring outpatient Thermachoice was significantly higher (41.5 years) than those preferring day case (33.5 years) (P < 0.005). Women with children and a higher qualification were more likely to opt for outpatient Thermachoice. A previous bad experience of GA was associated with preference for outpatient Thermachoice. Spending less time in hospital, attending for one visit, feeling well straight after treatment and choosing the treatment setting were important factors to the majority of women. Most women (70%) who opted for Thermachoice as a menorrhagia treatment would prefer to have it performed in the outpatient setting. CONCLUSIONS: If the Department of Heath is to target services towards women's choice, there is a need to increase the provision of outpatient menorrhagia treatments, such as Thermachoice, to more women in the UK.