ObjectiveTo explore the application of clinical pathway in patients undergoing orthopedic day surgery.MethodsPatients who were scheduled for orthopedic treatment at Day Surgery Department of the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May to October 2020 were selected as the clinical pathway group, and all of them were managed by clinical pathway. Patients who were scheduled for orthopedic treatment at Day Surgery Department of the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May to October 2019 were selected as the routine group, and all of them were managed by conventional clinical methods. The general conditions of patients, physicians’ work efficiency, medical costs and medical quality were compared between the two groups.ResultsThe clinical pathway group included 246 patients, and the routine group included 391 patients. There was no significant difference in gender, age or disease distribution between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the routine group, the clinical pathway group had obvious advantages in terms of average time spent by a physician in issuing a medical order each time [(5.64±3.29) vs. (2.12±1.05) min], average number of revisions per physician’s order (1.40±0.24 vs. 0.38±0.19), rate of filing medical records within 3 days (90.28% vs. 97.97%), hospital costs [(7462.10±1035.01) vs. (6252.52±1189.05) yuan], drug costs [(652.21±88.53) vs. (437.17±108.20) yuan], length of stay [(1.23±1.04) vs. (1.02±0.18) d] and delayed discharge rate (7.93% vs. 2.03%), with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of unplanned reoperation rate, unplanned rehospitalization rate, or patient satisfaction (P>0.05).ConclusionCompared with routine clinical management, clinical pathway management can improve work efficiency, reduce medical cost and improve medical quality more effectively in the implementation of orthopedic day surgery, which has very positive effects and is worthy of promotion and application.