This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Surgeon, hospital factors may play a role in predicting discharge destination after TKA, THA
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Along with patient factors, surgeon- and hospital-level factors may play a role in predicting discharge destination after total hip and knee arthroplasties, according to results.
Researchers retrospectively analyzed 14,315 total hip arthroplasties (THAs) and total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) performed during a 3-year period to determine predictors of patient discharge location.
Results showed patients who underwent THA were more likely to be discharged home vs. patients who underwent TKA. Researchers found that although Medicare patients were more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation or skilled facility, non-Medicare patients were more likely to be discharged home. Patients without major complications or comorbidities and patients with a minor severity of illness were more likely to be discharged home compared with patients with major complications or comorbidities and patients with a moderate, major or extreme severity of illness, according to results. Researchers noted, on average, patients discharged home were 10 years younger and stayed in the hospital 0.7 fewer days.
Use of a preoperative discharge planning protocol had surgeons discharge patients home more often vs. surgeons who did not, according to results. Researchers found patients were more likely to be discharged home if they received surgery by staff surgeons employed by the researchers’ health system compared with patients who received surgery from community surgeons who used the researchers’ facilities.
Results showed 65.9% of patients operated at the researchers’ main campus hospital were more likely discharged home vs. 47.5% of patients operated at a regional hospital. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: London reports no relevant financial disclosure. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts