Can We Reduce the Utilization of Home-Visiting Nurse Services After Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty?
Publication/Presentation Date
9-1-2016
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Home-visiting nurse services (HVNSs) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) are touted as advantageous compared with inpatient rehabilitation. No study has established the utility of HVNSs compared with discharge home without services.
METHODS: A retrospective single-surgeon consecutive series of 509 primary TJA patients compared discharge disposition, length of stay, complications, and patient satisfaction between 2 cohorts. The cohorts were defined by the elimination of routine HVNSs.
RESULTS: Surprisingly, without routine HVNSs, more patients were discharged home (95% vs 88.3% with routine HVNSs) and mean length of stay significantly decreased. Complication rate was similar (2.9% vs 3.9% with routine HVNSs). Patient satisfaction remained favorable. We estimated that eliminating HVNSs avoids excess costs of $1177 per hip and $1647 per knee arthroplasty.
CONCLUSIONS: With dramatically diminished HVNS utilization after primary TJA, there was an associated decrease in length of stay and no increase in complication rate suggesting no compromise of patient care with significant cost savings.
Volume
31
Issue
9 Suppl
First Page
50
Last Page
53
ISSN
1532-8406
Published In/Presented At
Ponzio, D. Y., Park, A. G., Bhat, S. B., & Purtill, J. J. (2016). Can We Reduce the Utilization of Home-Visiting Nurse Services After Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty?. The Journal of arthroplasty, 31(9 Suppl), 50–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2016.02.078
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
27113944
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article