TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimizing Discharge After Shorter Hospitalizations
T2 - Lessons Learned Through After-Hours Calls with Thoracic Surgical Patients
AU - Blumenthaler, Alisa N.
AU - Zhou, Nicolas
AU - Parikh, Kavita
AU - Hofstetter, Wayne L.
AU - Mehran, Reza J.
AU - Rajaram, Ravi
AU - Rice, David C.
AU - Sepesi, Boris
AU - Swisher, Stephen G.
AU - Vaporciyan, Ara A.
AU - Walsh, Garrett L.
AU - Antonoff, Mara B.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021/11
Y1 - 2021/11
N2 - Objective: Minimally invasive procedures coupled with enhanced recovery pathways enable faster postoperative recovery and shorter hospitalizations. However, patients may experience unexpected concerns after return home, prompting after-hours calls. We aimed to characterize concerns prompting after-hours calls to improve discharge strategies. Methods: A single-institution, retrospective review was conducted of thoracic surgical patients from 11/4/2019 to 6/14/2020. Records were reviewed and elements of patient demographics, surgical procedures, postoperative courses, reasons for calls, and outcome of calls were collected. We compared characteristics of patients who made after-hours calls to those who did not, and performed multivariable analysis to identify characteristics associated with making an after-hours call. Results: During the study period, 379 patients underwent thoracic surgical procedures, among whom 88 (23.2%) initiated after-hours calls. Of these, 62 (70%) addressed patient symptoms, while 26 (30%) addressed patient questions including drain management, medications, and hospital policy questions. Patients making after-hours calls more frequently had undergone complex operations (26.1% vs 8.2%, P = 0.001), and were less likely to have received a standardized, clinician-initiated post-discharge telephone follow-up (29.5% vs 54.3%, P < 0.001). Complex operations increased likelihood of after-hours calls (OR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.69-6.57, P < 0.001), while receipt of clinician-initiated telephone follow-up decreased likelihood of after-hours calls (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.22-0.64, P < 0.001). There were no differences in emergency visits between the 2 groups (11% vs 8%, P = 0.370). Conclusions: Despite efforts to optimize patient symptoms and knowledge prior to discharge, a substantial number of patients still have concerns after discharge. Many after-hours calls are related to knowledge gaps that may be addressed with improved predischarge education. Moreover, clinician-initiated telephone follow-up shows benefit in reducing after-hours calls.
AB - Objective: Minimally invasive procedures coupled with enhanced recovery pathways enable faster postoperative recovery and shorter hospitalizations. However, patients may experience unexpected concerns after return home, prompting after-hours calls. We aimed to characterize concerns prompting after-hours calls to improve discharge strategies. Methods: A single-institution, retrospective review was conducted of thoracic surgical patients from 11/4/2019 to 6/14/2020. Records were reviewed and elements of patient demographics, surgical procedures, postoperative courses, reasons for calls, and outcome of calls were collected. We compared characteristics of patients who made after-hours calls to those who did not, and performed multivariable analysis to identify characteristics associated with making an after-hours call. Results: During the study period, 379 patients underwent thoracic surgical procedures, among whom 88 (23.2%) initiated after-hours calls. Of these, 62 (70%) addressed patient symptoms, while 26 (30%) addressed patient questions including drain management, medications, and hospital policy questions. Patients making after-hours calls more frequently had undergone complex operations (26.1% vs 8.2%, P = 0.001), and were less likely to have received a standardized, clinician-initiated post-discharge telephone follow-up (29.5% vs 54.3%, P < 0.001). Complex operations increased likelihood of after-hours calls (OR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.69-6.57, P < 0.001), while receipt of clinician-initiated telephone follow-up decreased likelihood of after-hours calls (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.22-0.64, P < 0.001). There were no differences in emergency visits between the 2 groups (11% vs 8%, P = 0.370). Conclusions: Despite efforts to optimize patient symptoms and knowledge prior to discharge, a substantial number of patients still have concerns after discharge. Many after-hours calls are related to knowledge gaps that may be addressed with improved predischarge education. Moreover, clinician-initiated telephone follow-up shows benefit in reducing after-hours calls.
KW - discharge planning
KW - postoperative recovery
KW - telephone follow-up
KW - thoracic surgery
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U2 - 10.1177/15569845211041343
DO - 10.1177/15569845211041343
M3 - Article
C2 - 34494925
AN - SCOPUS:85114490452
SN - 1556-9845
VL - 16
SP - 529
EP - 535
JO - Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery
JF - Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery
IS - 6
ER -