The study examined 1.6 million patients who underwent primary total hip and total knee replacements in a 100-percent Medicare inpatient dataset. The patients underwent surgery between 2010 and 2014. Study authors found:
1. The 90-day readmission rate dropped by 2 percent for total hip replacements and by 4 percent for total knee replacements. However, the cost of readmissions didn’t change significantly over time.
2. Five variables were identified as most associated with the cost for 90-day hip replacement readmissions:
• The nature of the readmission — medical or procedure related
• Length of stay
• The hospital’s teaching status
• Discharge disposition
• Total joint replacement volume
3. The five top variables associated with the cost of 90-day readmissions for total knee replacement were:
• Length of stay
• Hospital’s teaching status
• Discharge disposition
• Gender
• Age
4. The study authors concluded readmission costs didn’t have a significant decrease after implementing healthcare reform legislation. “Instead, we found that clinical and hospital factors were among the most important cost drivers.”
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