Table 1 Characteristics of patients with and without adverse outcomes, overall patient evaluation, dissatisfaction and suggestions for improvement (Leiden University Medical Center, 1876 surgical patient admissions during 2003)

	Patients without adverse outcomes	Patients with adverse outcomes			Total
	Patients without adverse outcomes	Only in hospital	Only after discharge	In hospital and after discharge	Total
Number	1218	193	364	101	1876
Age at admission (years), mean (SD)	50.8 (17.0)	58.3 (16.7)	53.0 (17.2)	56.9 (15.7)	52.3 (17.1)
Men (%)	54.8	51.8	51.9	57.4	54.1
ASA class III–V (%)*	10.8	31.6	15.1	31.7	14.9
Overall grade of patient evaluation, mean (SD)	8.0 (1.3)	8.1 (1.3)	7.8 (1.4)	7.7 (1.6)	7.9 (1.3)
Dissatisfied (%)	4.0	6.2	7.4	6.9	5.1
Indicating need for improvement in surgical/nursing care (%)	39.7	39.9	45.3	47.5	41.3

*American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) class at first operation of admission.