OBJECTIVES: Hungary has 4 university-affiliated clinical centers, one of the most important patient care institutions for the most complex medical cases. This study aims to evaluate the one-day surgical performance of Hungarian universities in the field of obstetrics and gynecology between 2010-2022.

METHODS: The study database was provided by the National Health Insurance Fund Administration of Hungary and the study period covered 2010-2022. The national, real-world database contained the following indicators: the number of cases by type of treatment, Case-Mix-Index (CMI), as well as the number of hospitalized days by the providers. The research also measured the annual average number of cases and CMI at the domestic level. Descriptive statistics and linear regression were delivered.

RESULTS: In the study period, a total of 806,637 cases were performed in the Hungarian universities in the obstetrics-gynecology, 19% of which were related to one-day surgery (156,843 cases). In 2022, one-day surgery cases increased by 27% compared to 2010 (+2,518 cases), while inpatient care decreased by 7% (-3,187 cases). The CMI was 8% higher nationally in 2022 than in 2010 (CMI 2022=0.756; CMI 2010=0.702). The highest CMI value was found at the University of Debrecen (CMI=0.792). The number of hospitalized days per case decreased by 37% (-1.58 days) during the study period. A strong linear correlation was identified between the CMI and the number of hospitalized days per case. (r=0.752).

CONCLUSIONS: During the study period, there has been a significant increase in the number of one-day surgical cases, which is currently not reaching the annual, pre-pandemic level of performance. The number of hospitalized days per case has declined at a remarkable rate, although the average CMI per case is increasing. Clinical practice in Hungary is characterized by increasing complexity and shorter hospitalization, with university clinics having a prominent role.