The effect of hospital volume on length of stay, re-admissions, and complications of total hip arthroplasty

Short-term outcome of isolated lateral malleolar fracture treatment is independent of hospital trauma volume or teaching status: a nationwide retrospective cohort study

Introduction

In light of current discussions about centralisation and teaching in medicine, we wanted to investigate the differences in in-hospital outcomes after surgical treatment of isolated ankle fractures, taking into account high-volume centres (HVCs) and low-volume centres (LVCs) and teaching procedures.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of malleolar fractures recorded in a National Quality Assurance Database (AQC) from the period 01-01-1998 to 31-12-2018 was carried out. Inclusion criteria were isolated, and operatively treated lateral malleolar fractures (ICD-10 Code S82.6 and corresponding procedure codes). Variables were sought in bivariate and multivariate analyses. A total of 6760 cases were included. By dividing the total cases arbitrarily in half, 12 HVCs (n = 3327, 49%) and 56 LVCs (n = 3433, 51%) were identified.

Results

Patients in HVCs were younger (48 vs. 50 years old), had more comorbidities (26% vs. 19%) and had more open fractures (0.48% vs. 0.15%). Open reduction and internal fixation was the most common operative treatment at HVCs and LVCs (95% vs. 98%). A more frequent use of external fixation (2.5% vs. 0.55%) was reported at HVCs. There was no difference in mortality between treatment at HVCs and LVCs. A longer hospitalisation of 7.2 ± 5 days at HVCs vs. 6.3 ± 4.8 days at LVCs was observed. In addition, a higher rate of complications of 3.2% was found at HVCs compared to 1.9% at LVCs. The frequency of teaching operations was significantly higher at HVCs (30% vs. 26%). Teaching status had no influence on mortality or complications but was associated with a prolonged length of stay and operating time.

Conclusion

We found significant differences between HVCs and LVCs in terms of in-hospital outcomes for ankle fractures. These differences could be explained due to a more severely ill patient population and more complex (also open) fracture patterns with resulting use of external fixation and longer duration of surgery. However, structural and organisational differences, such as an extended preoperative stays at HVCs and a higher teaching rate, were also apparent. No difference in mortality could be detected.

Readmission After Surgical Resection and Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Liver resections and transplantations have increasingly become feasible options for potential cure. These complex surgeries are inherently associated with increased rates of readmission. In the meanwhile, hospital readmission rates are rapidly becoming an important quality of care metric. Therefore, it is very important to understand the effect of 30-day readmission on mortality and the factors associated with increased 30- and 90-day mortality rates.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study utilizing data from the National Cancer Database. Patients included were 18 years or older who underwent liver resection or liver transplantation for HCC between 2003 and 2011. Our primary outcomes of interest were 30- and 90-day mortality rates. Our primary independent variable of interest was 30-day readmission.

RESULTS

16 658 patients underwent either a liver resection or transplantation for HCC between 2003 and 2011. For patients with liver transplantations, increased readmission rates were associated with lower risks of 30-day mortality (P = .012) but a trend toward higher 90-day mortality (P = .057). Patients who underwent liver resection for HCC also demonstrated increased readmission rates to be associated with lower risk of 30-day mortality (P = .014) but higher 90-day mortality (P ≤ .001).

CONCLUSION

This is the only study to utilize a national database to investigate the association between readmission rates and mortality rates of both liver transplantations and resections for patients with HCC. We demonstrate 30-day readmission to show no increase in 30-day mortality, but rather higher 90-day mortality.

Evidence-Based Hospital Procedural Volumes as Predictors of Outcomes After Revision Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to define the evidence-based institutional volume-outcome relationship in revision hip arthroplasty. We hypothesized that high-volume centers would be associated with superior outcomes, and that stratum-specific likelihood ratio (SSLR) analysis would delineate concrete volume thresholds for optimizing outcomes.

METHODS

The Nationwide Readmission Database was queried from 2011 to 2016 for patients undergoing revision hip arthroplasty. SSLR analysis was used to determine hospital volume cutoffs specific for outcomes of interest. Volume categories were confirmed with multivariate regression.

RESULTS

SSLR analysis produced distinct hospital volume cutoffs for all outcomes. Each subsequent volume threshold diminished patients' risk for adverse outcomes. Tertiles were identified for 90-day infection (≤6, 7-51, ≥52 cases per year). Quartiles were found for 90-day readmission (≤5, 6-15, 16-79, ≥80), 90-day prosthesis-related complication (≤5, 6-16, 17-65, ≥66), 90-day dislocation (≤5, 6-19, 20-79, ≥80), and non-home discharge (≤5, 6-15, 16-40, and ≥41). Quintiles were generated for extended length of stay >2 days (≤2, 3-10, 11-20, 21-30, ≥31). Heptiles were produced for medical complications within 90 days (≤2, 3-8, 9-16, 17-51, 52-89, ≥90).

CONCLUSION

This is the first known study to define evidence-based thresholds for the impact of hospital volume on revision joint arthroplasty. This supports the notion that institutional volume functions as a surrogate for protocolized interdisciplinary coordination of care and surgical experience, and that high-volume centers offer enhanced outcomes for complex cases. Additional studies should investigate the potential role for incentivization of such institutions, as they offer optimal outcomes for revision hip arthroplasty.

Effect of hospital volume on outcomes of total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A shift in the healthcare system towards the centralization of common yet costly surgeries, such as total hip arthroplasty (THA), to high-volume centers of excellence, is an attempt to control the economic burden while simultaneously enhancing patient outcomes. The "volume-outcome" relationship suggests that hospitals performing more treatment of a given type exhibit better outcomes than hospitals performing fewer. This theory has surfaced as an important factor in determining patient outcomes following THA. We performed a systematic review with meta-analyses to review the available evidence on the impact of hospital volume on outcomes of THA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a review of PubMed (MEDLINE), OVID MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane library of studies reporting the impact of hospital volume on THA. The studies were evaluated as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 44 studies were included in the review. We accessed pooled data using random-effect meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Results of the meta-analyses show that low-volume hospitals were associated with a higher rate of surgical site infections (1.25 [1.01, 1.55]), longer length of stay (RR, 0.83[0.48-1.18]), increased cost of surgery (3.44, [2.57, 4.30]), 90-day complications (RR, 1.80[1.50-2.17]) and 30-day (RR, 2.33[1.27-4.28]), 90-day (RR, 1.26[1.05-1.51]), and 1-year mortality rates (RR, 2.26[1.32-3.88]) when compared to high-volume hospitals following THA. Except for two prospective studies, all were retrospective observational studies.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate superior outcomes following THA in high-volume hospitals. Together with the reduced cost of the surgical procedure, fewer complications may contribute to saving considerable opportunity costs annually. However, a need to define objective volume-thresholds with stronger evidence would be required.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42019123776.

Optimal Hospital and Surgeon Volume Thresholds to Improve 30-Day Readmission Rates, Costs, and Length of Stay for Total Hip Replacement

BACKGROUND

Little is known about whether there are optimal hospital and surgeon volume thresholds to reduce readmission, costs, and length of stay (LOS) for total hip replacement (THR). Nationwide population-based data were applied to identify the optimal hospital and surgeon volume thresholds and to discover the effects of these volume thresholds on 30-day unplanned readmission, costs and LOS for THR.

METHODS

A total of 6367 patients identified through Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database received THR in 2012. Restricted cubic splines were used to identify the optimal hospital and surgeon volume needed to decrease the risk of 30-day unplanned readmission. Multilevel regression modeling and propensity score weighting were used to examine the impact of hospital and surgeon volume thresholds on 30-day unplanned readmission, costs, and LOS, after adjusting for patient, surgeon, and hospital characteristics.

RESULTS

The volume thresholds for hospitals and surgeons were 65 cases and 15 cases a year, respectively. The overall mean LOS was 7.3 ± 4.3 days. Patients who received THR from surgeons who did not reach the volume threshold had higher 30-day unplanned readmission rates, costs, and LOS than those who received THR from surgeons who reached the volume threshold.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to identify the surgeon volume threshold that can reduce 30-day unplanned readmission rates, costs, and LOS for THR. However, the results from Taiwan may not be applicable to other parts of the world. Identifying the threshold could help patients, providers, and policymakers to make decisions regarding optimal delivery of THR.

The Influence of Modifiable, Postoperative Patient Variables on the Length of Stay After Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Many studies have examined strategies to reduce length of stay (LOS) after total hip arthroplasty (THA), but few have focused on modifiable patient-specific information in the acute postoperative period. This study investigates the determinants of LOS after THA, with a focus on potentially modifiable factors.

METHODS

A total of 1278 patients undergoing elective THA from 2012 to 2014 were extracted from our institutional data warehouse at our academic orthopedic specialty hospital. Data were collected on patient demographics, comorbidities, inpatient opioid use, hypotensive events, and abnormalities in laboratory values, all occurring on postoperative day 0 or 1. The main outcome was hospital LOS. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for LOS over 3 days.

RESULTS

The average age of patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty in our cohort was 62.3 (standard deviation 10.7) years, and 52.7% were women. Eighty-one (6.3%) of 1278 patients had a LOS more than 3 days. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated several statistically significant nonmodifiable and modifiable risk factors that influence LOS after THA. Nonmodifiable risk factors included nonwhite race (odds ratio [OR], 1.497), single marital status (OR, 1.724), increasing age (OR, 1.330), and increasing Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR, 1.411). Potentially modifiable risk factors included every 10 mg oral morphine equivalent consumption (1.069), every 5 postoperative hypotensive events (OR, 1.232), low hemoglobin (OR, 3.265), high glucose levels (OR, 1.887), and a high creatinine (OR, 2.874).

CONCLUSION

This study identifies potentially modifiable factors that are associated with increased LOS after THA, including postoperative opioid use and hypotensive events. Efforts to control narcotic use and initiatives aimed to reduce early postoperative hypotension could aid in reducing LOS. Furthermore, attempts should be made to correct postoperative anemia, high glucose levels, and a high creatinine level when possible.

Evidence-Based Thresholds for the Volume and Cost Relationship in Total Hip Arthroplasty: Outcomes and Economies of Scale

BACKGROUND

High-volume surgeons and hospital systems have been shown to deliver higher-value care in several studies. However, no evidence-based volume thresholds for cost currently exist in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The objective of this study was to establish meaningful thresholds in cost for surgeons and hospitals performing THA. A secondary objective was to analyze the market share of THAs for each surgeon and hospital stratifications.

METHODS

Using a database of 136,501 patients undergoing THA, we used stratum-specific likelihood ratio analysis of a receiver operating characteristic curve to generate volume thresholds based on costs for surgeons and hospitals. In addition, we examined the relative proportion of annual THA cases performed by each surgeon and hospital stratifications.

RESULTS

Stratum-specific likelihood ratio analysis of cost by annual surgeon THA volume produced stratifications at: 0-73 (low), 74-123 (medium), and 124 or more (high). Analysis by annual hospital THA volume produced stratifications at: 0-121 (low), 122-309 (medium), and 310 or more (high). Hospital costs decreased significantly (P < .05) in progressively higher volume stratifications. High-volume centers perform the largest proportion of THA cases (48.6%); however, low volume surgeons perform the greatest share of these cases (44.6%).

CONCLUSION

Our study establishes economies of scale in THA by demonstrating a direct relationship between volume and cost reduction. High-volume hospitals are performing the greatest proportion of THAs; however, low-volume surgeons perform the largest share of these cases, which highlights a potential area for enhanced value in the care of patients undergoing THA.

Evidence-Based Thresholds for the Volume and Length of Stay Relationship in Total Hip Arthroplasty: Outcomes and Economies of Scale

BACKGROUND

Several studies have indicated that high-volume surgeons and hospitals deliver higher value care. However, no evidence-based volume thresholds currently exist in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The primary objective of this study was to establish meaningful thresholds taking patient outcomes into consideration for surgeons and hospitals performing THA. A secondary objective was to examine the market share of THAs for each surgeon and hospital strata.

METHODS

Using 136,501 patients undergoing hip arthroplasty, we used stratum-specific likelihood ratio (SSLR) analysis of a receiver-operating characteristic curve to generate volume thresholds predictive of increased length of stay (LOS) for surgeons and hospitals. Additionally, we examined the relative proportion of annual THA cases performed by each surgeon and hospital strata established.

RESULTS

SSLR analysis of LOS by annual surgeon THA volume produced 3 strata: 0-69 (low), 70-121 (medium), and 121 or more (high). Analysis by annual hospital THA volume produced strata at: 0-120 (low), 121-357 (medium), and 358 or more (high). LOS decreased significantly (P < .05) in progressively higher volume categories. High-volume hospitals performed the majority of cases, whereas low-volume surgeons performed the majority of THAs.

CONCLUSION

Our study validates economies of scale in THA by demonstrating a direct relationship between volume and value for THA through risk-based volume stratification of surgeons and hospitals using SSLR analysis of receiver-operating characteristic curves to identify low-, medium-, and high-volume surgeons and hospitals. While the majority of primary THAs are performed at high-volume centers, low-volume surgeons are performing the majority of these cases, which may offer room for improvement in delivering value-based care.

Reduced length of uninterrupted institutional stay after implementing a fast-track protocol for primary total hip replacement

Background and purpose - Fast-track protocols have been successfully implemented in many hospitals as they have been shown to result in shorter length of stay (LOS) without compromising results. We evaluated the effect of fast-track implementation on the use of institutional care and results after total hip replacement (THR). Patients and methods - 3,193 THRs performed in 4 hospitals between 2009-2010 and 2012-2013 were identified from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register and the Finnish Arthroplasty Register. Hospitals were classified as fast-track (Hospital A) and non-fast-track (Hospitals B, C, and D). We analyzed LOS, length of uninterrupted institutional care (LUIC, including LOS), discharge destination, readmission, revision rate, and mortality in each hospital. We compared these outcomes for THRs performed in Hospital A before and after fast-track implementation and we also compared outcomes, excluding readmission rates, with the corresponding outcomes for the other hospitals. Results - After fast-track implementation, median LOS in Hospital A diminished from 5 to 2 days (p < 0.001) and (median) LUIC from 6 to 3 (p = 0.001) days. No statistically significant changes occurred in discharge destination. However, the reduction in LOS was combined with an increase in the 42-day readmission rate (3.1% to 8.3%) (p < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients were at home 1 week after THR (p < 0.001) in Hospital A after fast-tracking than before. Interpretation - The fast-track protocol reduces LUIC but needs careful implementation to maintain good quality of care throughout the treatment process.

Incidence and Risk Factors for 30-Day Unplanned Readmissions After Elective Posterior Lumbar Fusion

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study of prospectively collected data.

OBJECTIVE

To perform a multiinstitutional assessment on the incidence and risk factors for unplanned readmissions following elective posterior lumbar fusion (PLF) surgery.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Understanding what may drive rehospitalizations is a necessary step toward higher quality care. Identifying risk factors for unplanned readmission is especially important for elective PLF, which is a common procedure that is known to be associated with significant adverse events.

METHODS

Adult patients undergoing PLF were identified using current procedure terminology (CPT) from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Both descriptive and comparative statistics were performed for patient characteristics, clinical factors, and postoperative complications. Subsequently, a step-wise multivariate logistic regression was employed.

RESULTS

Of the 2301 patients who met inclusion criteria for this study, 117 were unplanned readmissions (5.1%). These occurred at a mean of 15.9 days (range: 3-30 days) after surgery. The risk-adjusted analysis revealed that bleeding disorder (odds ratio, OR = 2.8, confidence intervals, CI = 1.0-7.6, P = 0.043), insulin dependent diabetes (OR = 2.5, CI = 1.4-4.4, P = 0.004), and total length of stay > 5 days (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.2-2.8, P = 0.009) were independent predictors for unplanned readmission. Significant postoperative complications included wound complications (OR = 27.6, CI = 13.9-54.8, P < 0.0001), pulmonary embolism and/or deep vein thrombosis/thrombophlebitis (OR = 11.9, CI = 5.0-28.5, P < 0.0001), sepsis (OR = 8.5, CI = 2.3-32.1, P = 0.002), and urinary tract infections (OR = 2.4, CI = 0.9-6.9, P = 0.094).

CONCLUSION

The unplanned readmission rate for patients undergoing PLF was low, but this study's findings of potentially modifiable risk factors suggest that substantial improvement with this quality metric is possible.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

N/A.

Unplanned 90-day readmissions in a specialty orthopaedic unit-A prospective analysis of consecutive 12729 admissions

INTRODUCTION

Unplanned readmissions are an undesirable and expensive outcome of clinical practice. Previous reported literature is limited by retrospective study designs and 30 day study intervals. We analyzed causes for 90-day unplanned readmission, temporal occurrence of major causes, possible predisposing factors, bed days lost and economic impact.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A prospective analysis of 12729 admissions was performed over 1 year in an Orthopaedic unit. Consecutive readmissions for unplanned circumstances within 90-days of discharge following the index procedure were included. Open injuries, polytrauma, primary osseous infections and planned readmissions were excluded.

RESULTS

We noted an overall readmission rate of 2.07% and subspecialty rate of 1.43%, 3.32%, 2.9% in trauma, spine and total joint arthroplasty (TJA) respectively. The leading cause was wound complications accounting for 49.62%, followed by medical causes (trauma -18.37%; TJA -27.5%) and aseptic pain (spine-31.6%). Though 87.1% of superficial surgical site infections (SSIs) occurred within 30 days, 21.1%, 41.2% and 60% of the deep SSIs in spine, trauma and TJA respectively occurred beyond 30 days. The financial burden amounted to INR 1,01,55,770 and mean bed days lost was 7.6 per readmission. Age ≥70 years, indoor-stay ≥10 days, health insurance and co-morbid illnesses were associated with readmissions (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that limiting analysis to 30 day unplanned readmissions would lead to failure in identification of 34.85% of readmissions especially deep surgical site infections in TJA and trauma.

Impact of surgical experience on outcomes in total joint arthroplasties

BACKGROUND

Outcomes of primary total hip and knee arthroplasties performed by consultant surgeons were compared with those performed by orthopaedic trainees. Furthermore, outcomes of these procedures performed by senior trainees were compared with those performed by junior trainees.

METHODS

Data from the St Vincent's Melbourne Arthroplasty Outcomes Registry and the surgical log kept by trainees were reviewed to investigate if an association exists between surgical experience and clinical outcomes following primary total hip and knee arthroplasties. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to produce odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals to assess these relationships.

RESULTS

Arthroplasties performed by trainees were not significantly different from those performed by consultant surgeons in regards to medical, surgical and wound complications. Trainee-performed primary total hip arthroplasties were associated with a 30% increase in the risk of requiring a transfusion compared with consultant cases. Primary total knee arthroplasties performed by junior trainees were associated with a 50% increase in the risk of developing a wound complication compared with those performed by senior trainees.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, senior orthopaedic trainees working independently and junior orthopaedic trainees under supervision as the primary surgeon have the ability to achieve a level of clinical outcomes similar to a consultant surgeon. Junior trainees with supervision have the ability to achieve a level of clinical outcomes similar to senior trainees. These findings can be used to further improve orthopaedic training to reduce adverse events during supervised surgery.

Association between hospital procedure volume and risk of revision after total hip arthroplasty: a population-based study within the Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association database

OBJECTIVE

Outcome after total hip arthroplasty (THA) depends on several factors related to the patient, the surgeon and the implant. It has been suggested that the annual number of procedures per hospital affects the prognosis. We aimed to examine if hospital procedure volume was associated with the risk of revision after primary THA in the Nordic countries from 1995 to 2011.

DESIGN

The Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association database provided information about primary THA, revision and annual hospital volume. Hospitals were divided into five volume groups (1-50, 51-100, 101-200, 201-300, >300). The outcome of interest was risk of revision 1, 2, 5, 10 and 15 years after primary THA. Multivariable regression was used to assess the relative risk (RR) of revision.

RESULTS

417,687 THAs were included. For the 263,176 cemented THAs no differences were seen 1 year after primary procedure. At 2, 5, 10 and 15 years the four largest hospital volume groups had a reduced risk of revision compared to group 1-50. After 10 years RR was for volume group 51-100 0.79 (CI 0.65-0.95), group 101-200 0.76 (CI 0.61-0.95), group 201-300 0.74 (CI 0.57-0.96) and group >300 0.57 (CI 0.46-0.71). For the uncemented THAs an association between hospital volume and risk of revision were only present for hospitals producing 201-300 THAs per year, beginning at years 2 through 5 and in all subsequent time intervals to 15 years.

CONCLUSION

Hospital procedure volume was associated with a long term risk of revision after primary cemented THA. Hospitals operating 50 procedures or less per year had an increased risk of revision after 2, 5, 10 and 15 years follow up.

The Effect of Disease Severity and Comorbidity on Length of Stay for Orthopedic Surgery in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from 2 UK Inception Cohorts, 1986-2012

OBJECTIVE

To examine factors predicting length of stay (LoS) for orthopedic intervention in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

LoS for orthopedic intervention was examined in 2 consecutive, multicenter inception cohorts: the Early RA Study (n = 1465, 9 centers) and the Early RA Network (n = 1236, 23 centers). Date, type of orthopedic procedure, and LoS were recorded and validated against national data, the UK National Joint Registry, and the UK Hospital Episode Statistics database. Clinical, laboratory, and radiographic measures and comorbidity recorded at baseline and annually were examined for their predictive power on LoS using regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 770 of 2701 patients (28.5%) had 1602 orthopedic interventions: 40% major (mainly total hip/knee replacements), 24% intermediate (mainly hand/wrist and ankle/foot surgery), and 16% minor (mainly soft tissue surgery). Median (interquartile range) LoS was 8 (5-13), 3 (1-5), and 1 (0-2) days for major, intermediate, and minor interventions, respectively. Older age predicted longer LoS (p < 0.001) whereas a more recent operation year predicted shorter LoS (p < 0.001). Markers of active disease, namely low hemoglobin, high Health Assessment Questionnaire, and high Disease Activity Scores in the first year all predicted longer LoS for all types of surgery (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.05, respectively). Presence of 1 or more major comorbidities predicted longer LoS (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Comorbidity and standard clinical and laboratory markers of disease activity affect the LoS for orthopedic surgery in RA, which has important clinical and economic implications, providing a target for improving patient outcomes.

Surgical skills training for primary total hip arthroplasty

A total of 483 hips treated by primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) were investigated to evaluate the surgical skill of the performing surgeon. Surgical trainees operated on 259 hips and instructors on 224 hips. The average age of the patients at the time of THA in the trainee and instructor group was 61.9 and 60.8 years old, respectively. The average follow-up duration was 5.1 years. The operative time in the trainee group and instructor group was 87.0 and 73.1 min, respectively (p=0.031). Complications were noted in 11 hips (3.5%) in the trainee group; acetabular fracture, 3 hips; dislocation, 3 hips; femoral artery lacerations that needed repair surgery, 2 hips; sciatic nerve palsy, 2 hips; and skin necrosis, 1 hip. Complication were noted in three hips (1.3%) in the instructor group; femoral fracture, 1 hip; acetabular fracture, 1 hip; dislocation, 1 hip. Complication rate in the trainee group was higher than in the instructor group. The monitored quality of the surgeries performed by trainees and instructors was not significantly different. Poor quality was identified in 14 hips in the trainee group and 6 hips in instructor group. No significant difference was found in the hip score between the trainees and instructors before and after surgery. Revision arthroplasty was defined as the end-point for primary THA. Kaplan-Meier survivorship at 5 years after primary THA was 97.2% in trainee group and 97.3% in the instructor group. Short-term clinical and radiographic results of primary THA in the trainee and instructor groups were considered safe and satisfactory.

Evaluation of 30-day hospital readmission after surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer in a medicare population

PURPOSE

To analyze rate, risk factors, and costs associated with 30-day readmission after ovarian cancer surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The SEER-Medicare linked database (1992 to 2010) was used to evaluate readmission rates within 30 days of index surgery in patients with stage IIIC/IV ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with readmission.

RESULTS

Of 5,152 eligible patients, 1,003 (19.5%) were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Mean patient age was 75 years. Diagnoses associated with readmission included infection (34.7%), dehydration (34.3%), ileus/obstruction (26.2%), metabolic/electrolyte derangements (23.1%), and anemia (12.3%). In multivariable analysis, year of discharge was significantly associated with 30-day readmission (1996 to 2000: odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.71; 2001 to 2005: OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.24 to 2.0; 2006 to 2010: OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.35 to 2.21; referent years 1992 to 1995), as were length of index hospital stay more than 8 days (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.64) and discharge to a skilled nursing facility (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.63). Patients readmitted within 30 days had a significantly greater 1-year mortality rate compared with patients not readmitted (41.1% v 25.1%, respectively; P < .001). The median cost of readmission hospital stay was $9,220 in year 2010 dollars, with a total cost of $9.3 million over the study period.

CONCLUSION

Early readmission after surgery for ovarian cancer is common. There is a significant association between 30-day readmission and 1-year mortality. These findings may catalyze development of targeted interventions to decrease early readmission, improve patient outcomes, and control health care costs.

Outcomes of a joint replacement surgical home model clinical pathway

Optimizing perioperative care to provide maximum benefit at minimum cost may be best achieved using a perioperative clinical pathway (PCP). Using our joint replacement surgical home (JSH) model PCP, we examined length of stay (LOS) following total joint arthroplasty (TJA) to evaluate patient care optimization. We reviewed a spectrum of clinical measurements in 190 consecutive patients who underwent TJA. Patients who had surgery earlier in the week and who were earlier cases of the day had a significantly lower LOS than patients whose cases started both later in the week and later in the day. Patients discharged home had significantly lower LOS than those discharged to a secondary care facility. Patients who received regional versus general anesthesia had a significantly lower LOS. Scheduling patients discharged to home and who will likely receive regional anesthesia for the earliest morning slot and earlier in the week may help decrease overall LOS.

Is hospital volume associated with length of stay, re‑admissions and reoperations for total hip replacement? A population‑based register analysis of 78 hospitals and 54,505 replacements

INTRODUCTION

Hospital volume has been suggested to be a significant determinant of the outcome of joint replacement surgery. We updated previously published data on the effect of hospital volume on length of stay, re-admissions, and reoperations for total hip replacement (THR) at the population level in Finland.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 54,505 THRs for primary osteoarthritis performed between 1998 and 2010 were identified from the Hospital Discharge Register and the Finnish Arthroplasty Register. Hospitals were classified into four groups according to the number of primary and revision total hip and knee arthroplasties performed on an annual basis over the whole study period: 1–199 (group 1), 200–499 (group 2), 500–899 (group 3), and >900 (group 4). We analyzed the association between hospital procedure volume and length of stay (LOS), length of uninterrupted institutional care (LUIC), re-admissions and reoperations.

RESULTS

The larger the volume group, the shorter were LOS and LUIC (p < 0.01). According to the adjusted data, risk for re-admission in 42 days was greater in group 1 than in group 4 (OR = 1.14; 95 % CI: 1.05–1.23). There was no difference in the risk for reoperation.

CONCLUSION

LOS and LUIC ought to be shortened in lower volume hospitals.

Risk factors for readmission of orthopaedic surgical patients

BACKGROUND

Reducing hospital readmissions has become a priority in the development of policies aimed at patient safety and cost reduction. Evaluating the incidence of rehospitalization of orthopaedic surgical patients could help to identify targets for more efficient perioperative care. We addressed two questions: What is the incidence of thirty-day readmission for orthopaedic patients at an academic hospital? Can any risk factors for readmission be identified among rehospitalized patients?

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study examining 3264 orthopaedic surgical admissions during two fiscal years from the hospital's quality-improvement database. Cases of patients with unplanned readmission within thirty days were subjected to univariate and multivariate analysis to determine the odds ratio (OR) for readmission. Further descriptive analysis was performed with use of electronic medical record data from the cohort of readmitted patients.

RESULTS

The estimated cumulative incidence of unplanned thirty-day readmissions was 4.2% (i.e., 138 of the 3261 patients who were eligible for the study). Multivariate analysis indicated that marital status of "widowed" significantly increased the risk of readmission (OR, 1.846; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.070 to 3.184; p = 0.03). Race significantly increased the odds of readmission in patients identified as African-American (OR, 2.178; 95% CI, 1.077 to 4.408; p = 0.03), or American Indian or Alaskan Native race (OR, 3.550; 95% CI, 1.429 to 8.815; p = 0.006). The risk of readmission was significant at p &lt; 0.10 (OR 1.547; 95% CI, 0.941 to 2.545; p = 0.09) for patients with Medicaid insurance. Any intensive care unit stay gave the highest OR of readmission (OR, 2.356; 95% CI, 1.361 to 4.079; p = 0.002) for all demographic groups. Mean length of hospital stay was significantly longer, 5.9 days in the unplanned readmission group compared with 3.6 days for non-readmitted patients (OR, 1.038; 95% CI, 1.014 to 1.062; p = 0.002). Chart review of readmitted patients showed that 102 readmissions (73.9%) were classified as surgical; of these, thirty-five readmission events (34.3%) were for infection at the surgical site.

CONCLUSIONS

Longer length of hospital stay or admission to the intensive care unit significantly increased the likelihood of thirty-day readmission, regardless of demographics or discharge disposition. Marital status, Medicaid insurance status, and race may indicate how a patient's social and economic resources can impact his or her risk of being readmitted to the hospital.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Does surgical volume affect outcome after primary and revision knee arthroplasty? A systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND

In 2009 there were 72,980 primary and 4565 revision knee arthroplasties performed in England and Wales [1]. Given the large number of procedures done annually any factors that may influence outcome and benefit the patient must be considered seriously.

OBJECTIVES

To find out whether a relationship exists between hospital and surgical volume and patient outcomes for primary and revision knee arthroplasty. A systematic review of the literature was performed to evaluate the current evidence using the PRISMA criteria [2].

DATA SOURCES

A computerised literature search was performed on the electronic databases PubMed, Medline, Embase and CINAHL between 1973 and 2011.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

All abstracts, in the English language, pertaining to either surgical or hospital volume and outcome after primary and revision knee arthroplasty between 1973 and 2011 were considered. Outcomes of interest included morbidity, mortality, clinical and economic outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the orthopaedic and surgical specialties literature demonstrates a clear and consistent relationship between both surgeon and hospital volume with outcome, higher volume being associated with improved patient outcomes. In view of the literature consideration should be given to whether all orthopaedic operations should be carried out by all surgeons in all hospitals.

Regional and hospital variance in performance of total hip and knee replacements: a national population-based study

INTRODUCTION

This article in the supplement on the Performance, Effectiveness, and Costs of Treatment episodes (PERFECT)-project describes the PERFECT Hip and Knee Replacement Database and its possibilities by evaluating regional and hospital-level differences in length of stay (LOS), costs and complication rates of total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in Finland.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All hip and knee arthroplasties are recorded in the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register (FHDR) and Finnish Arthroplasty Register (FAR). LOS, length of uninterrupted institutional care (LUIC), complication rates and other parameters of treatment were determined by region and hospital during 1998-2008 based on these.

RESULTS

LOS and LUIC following THA and TKA diminished during the follow-up period. In 1998 average LOS after THA and TKA was 9.9 and 10 days. In 2008, these had shortened to 5.2 and 5.3 days, respectively. There was a 5.0 and 7.5 percentage point difference in revision rate between regions in THAs and TKAs, respectively, performed during 2005-2007 and followed to the end of 2009.

DISCUSSION

The Finnish health care registers provide a monitoring system for evaluating hospital- and regional-level differences in THA and TKA. The differences in LOS, LUIC and revision rates between hospitals and regions are considerable.