Day surgery, which requires patients to complete preoperative preparations before hospitalization, is associated with a higher risk of same-day cancellation compared to traditional inpatient surgery. The rate of same-day cancellations has thus become a critical issue impacting healthcare efficiency, patient experience, and the broader adoption of this care model. This article systematically reviews the status of same-day cancellations in day surgery, both domestically and internationally, and analyzes their multifactorial causes and influencing elements. It further summarizes key management strategies and recent advances aimed at reducing the cancellation rate, which include the development of predictive models, optimization of the entire preoperative management process, multidisciplinary collaboration, the application of digital and intelligent technologies, and the use of quality improvement tools. Finally, the paper proposes an integrated patient management pathway for day surgery, aiming to provide evidence-based references for improving the overall quality of day surgery programs in clinical practice.