Study Finds Better Results from Surgeries Scheduled on Mondays Compared to Fridays

March 13, 2025 TruthUSA

According to a new study, individuals who have the option to choose their surgery date may have better outcomes if they schedule their procedure for a Monday rather than a Friday.

Researchers from Canada and the U.S. discovered that the risk of complications or death is five percent higher for patients undergoing surgery just before the weekend compared to those having surgery earlier in the week. This phenomenon is commonly known as “the weekend effect,” which suggests that patient outcomes may be worse during weekends than on weekdays.

The study, titled Postoperative Outcomes Following Preweekend Surgery, highlights the potential impact on patient outcomes for those who undergo surgery before the weekend and receive postoperative care during the weekend.

The researchers noted that similar findings have been observed in other regions like North America and Europe, not just in Ontario where the study was conducted.

The study, published on March 4 in the JAMA Network by the American Medical Association, suggests a need for a critical review of current surgical scheduling practices and resource distribution to address these disparities.

The Findings

Researchers analyzed data from over 429,000 patients in Ontario who underwent 25 common surgeries over a 12-year period.

The surgeries analyzed in the study ranged from spinal surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting to knee and hip replacements, appendectomies, and breast reductions.

The researchers assessed patient outcomes at 30 days, 90 days, and one year post-surgery. They compared outcomes between patients treated just before the weekend and those treated right after the weekend, with consistently higher complication rates observed for Friday surgeries.

Results showed that patients in the pre-weekend group were more likely to experience adverse outcomes such as readmission, complications, and longer hospital stays, along with increased mortality rates compared to the post-weekend group. Overall, the likelihood of complications was higher for Friday surgeries compared to Monday surgeries.

By the 90-day mark, complications were more prevalent in Friday surgeries than in Monday surgeries, and the trend continued after one year. The study emphasized the importance of addressing these discrepancies in surgical practices to ensure better patient care.

Reasons for Discrepancy

The researchers identified staffing shortages, limited service availability, and care coordination challenges as possible contributors to the weekend effect. They noted that hospital staffing levels tend to decrease significantly over weekends, potentially leading to delayed detection and management of complications.

In addition to staffing issues, differences in the expertise of healthcare personnel during weekends could also play a role in inferior outcomes for pre-weekend surgeries. The study highlighted the need for increased attention to mitigate these risks and improve patient care across all days of the week.

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