Psychiatric comorbidities linked to readmissions after spine surgery
Editor's Note Psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety, were independently associated with higher all cause 30-day readmissions after elective spine surgery in this study. Of 400 patients involved in the study, outcomes data was available for 107. Results showed the rate of readmission was three-fold greater for patients with…
Rates, risk factors for readmissions after emergency general surgery
Editor's Note Readmission after emergency general surgery procedures is common and varies widely depending on patient factors and diagnosis categories, this study finds. Of 177,500 emergency general surgery patients, the overall 30-day readmission rate was 5.91%. Predictors of readmission included Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 2 or greater, leaving against medical…
Orthopedic service line takes health system to another level
Total joint replacements have grown rapidly in recent years, thanks to an aging population and advances in surgical techniques and pain management. As a result, many healthcare facilities have added joint and spine procedures to their service lines. Others would like to know how to do this. What’s involved in…
Value-based payment raises quality stakes in patient care
Although many healthcare providers are still struggling to implement a value-based payment (VBP) model, everyone knows that the train has left the station and adjustments must be made. Shifting to a VBP system, expanding surgical patient care to “population health,” and developing a new generation of perioperative nurses are among…
Readmission reduction program has mixed results
Editor's Note A readmission reduction program for high-risk Medicare patients lowered 30-day readmission rates, but the effect was small and did not achieve the goal set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), this study finds. Of 10,621 patients studied, readmission rates decreased from 21.5% to 19.5% in…
ERAS program for total joints reduces length of stay
Editor's Note Use of an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) program in total hip and total knee patients reduced length of stay by 1 day in this study. Short term complications and readmission rates were similar for patients in the ERAS program and those managed in a traditional perioperative care…
Peripheral nerve blocks linked to better total joint outcomes
Editor's Note Peripheral nerve blocks were associated with fewer complications and lower costs in total hip and knee patients in this study, which was presented March 23 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. In this analysis of more than 1 million patients…
Implications of patient age, ASA status on OR management decisions
Editor's Note Evaluation of patient age and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status as variables can help OR managers better predict turnaround times, which can facilitate scheduling, this study finds. Researchers developed models of turnaround times of 13, 632 OR procedures with respect to multiple variables including surgical schedule,…
AHRQ’s Patient Safety Chartbook shows 17% decline in HACs
Editor's Note Patient safety in hospitals improved from 2010 to 2014 as the overall rate of hospital-acquired conditions (HACS) declined 17%, according to the new National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report Patients Safety Chartbook from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The overall HAC rate declined from 145/1,000…
Study: Use of self-filled vs prefilled syringes during anesthesia
Editor's Note In this work system analysis, the inclusion of prefilled syringes into medication delivery by anesthesia providers simplified work processes and reduced the number and associated risks of system vulnerabilities. Eight system vulnerabilities were found in the prefilled syringe system versus 21 in the self-filled syringe system. An example…
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