Postoperative Discharge to Acute Rehabilitation or Skilled Nursing Facility Compared to Home Does Not Reduce Hospital Readmissions, Return to Surgery or Improve Outcomes Following Adult Spine Deformity Surgery.

Abstract

Study design

Retrospective review of a prospective multi-center adult spinal deformity (ASD) study.

Objective

Evaluate 30-day readmissions, 90-day return to surgery, postoperative complications, and patient reported outcomes (PROs) for matched ASD patients receiving nonhome discharge (NON), including acute rehabilitation (REHAB) and skilled nursing facility (SNF), or home (HOME) discharge following ASD surgery.

Summary of background data

Postoperative disposition following ASD surgery frequently involves nonhome discharge. Little data exists for longer term outcomes for ASD patients receiving nonhome discharge versus patients discharged to home.

Methods

Surgically treated ASD patients prospectively enrolled into a multicenter study were assessed for NON or HOME disposition following hospital discharge. NON was further divided into REHAB or SNF. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match for patient age, frailty, spine deformity, levels fused and osteotomies performed at surgery. Thirty-day hospital readmissions, 90-day return to surgery, postoperative complications, 1-year and minimum 2-year postoperative PROs were evaluated.

Results

241 of 374 patients were eligible for study. NON patients were identified and matched to HOME patients. Following matching, 158 patients remained for evaluation; NON and HOME had similar preoperative age, frailty, spine deformity magnitude, surgery performed, and duration of hospital stay (P>0.05). Thirty-day readmissions, 90-day return to surgery, and postoperative complications were similar for NON versus HOME, and similar for REHAB (N=64) versus SNF (N=42) versus HOME (P>0.05). At 1-year and minimum 2-year follow up, HOME demonstrated similar to better PRO scores including ODI, SF-36 MCS and PCS, and SRS scores versus NON, REHAB and SNF (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Acute needs must be considered following ASD surgery, however matched analysis comparing 30-day hospital readmissions, 90-day return to surgery, postoperative complications and PROs demonstrated minimal benefit for NON, REHAB or SNF versus HOME at 1-year and 2-year follow up, questioning the risk and cost/benefits of routine use of nonhome discharge.

Level of evidence

I-IV: Level III; prognostic.

Department

Description

Provenance

Citation

Published Version (Please cite this version)

10.1097/brs.0000000000004825

Publication Info

Bess, Shay, Breton G Line, Pierce Nunley, Christopher Ames, Douglas Burton, Gregory Mundis, Robert Eastlack, Robert Hart, et al. (2023). Postoperative Discharge to Acute Rehabilitation or Skilled Nursing Facility Compared to Home Does Not Reduce Hospital Readmissions, Return to Surgery or Improve Outcomes Following Adult Spine Deformity Surgery. Spine. 10.1097/brs.0000000000004825 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/29290.

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Scholars@Duke

Shaffrey

Christopher Ignatius Shaffrey

Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

I have more than 25 years of experience treating patients of all ages with spinal disorders. I have had an interest in the management of spinal disorders since starting my medical education. I performed residencies in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire range of spinal disorders. My goal has been to find innovative ways to manage the range of spinal conditions, straightforward to complex. I have a focus on managing patients with complex spinal disorders. My patient evaluation and management philosophy is to provide engaged, compassionate care that focuses on providing the simplest and least aggressive treatment option for a particular condition. In many cases, non-operative treatment options exist to improve a patient’s symptoms. I have been actively engaged in clinical research to find the best ways to manage spinal disorders in order to achieve better results with fewer complications.


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