The study included 2,586 patients who underwent total hip or knee replacements from Jan. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2015. EHR records were reviewed for all patients and researchers found:
1. There wasn’t a difference in proportion of surgery-related readmissions over the 30-day and 90-day timeframe. Around 71 percent of the 30-day readmissions were surgery-related, compared to 60 percent of the 90-day readmissions.
2. More of the 30-day readmissions were reported as surgery-related complications when compared with the amount of readmissions from day 31 to day 90; 71 percent of the complications within the first 30 days were related to surgery, compared to 47 percent of the remaining 60 days in a 90-day episode.
3. In total, there were 104 patients readmitted within the first year of discharge and 52 percent of those readmissions occurred within the first 30 days after surgery; by 90 days after surgery, 79 percent of those readmissions had occurred.
4. Researchers found similar conclusions when examining the 30-and 90-day post-discharge definitions. Around 53 percent of readmissions were reported within 30 days of discharge and 81 percent within 90 days of discharge.
5. Researchers concluded, “A 90-day timeframe is superior in capturing surgery-related readmissions after total joint arthroplasty. Important total hip and knee arthroplasty adverse events may be missed using a 30-day timeframe.”
More articles on orthopedics:
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Outlook for total joint replacements in the ASC: Key concepts from Dr. Thomas K. Miller
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