Home Discharge After Primary Elective Total Joint Arthroplasty: Postdischarge Complication Timing and Risk Factor Analysis

Abstract

Background: Bundled payment programs for primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have identified reducing nonhome discharge as a major area of cost savings. Health care providers must therefore identify, risk stratify, and appropriately care for home-discharged TJA patients. This study aimed to analyze risk factors and timing of postdischarge complications among home-discharged primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients and risk stratify them to identify those who would benefit from higher level care.

Methods: Patients discharged home after elective primary THA/TKA from 2011 to 2014 were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed using perioperative variables.

Results: A total of 50,376 and 71,293 home-discharged THA and TKA patients were included for analysis, of which, 1575 THA (3.1%) and 2490 TKA (3.5%) patients suffered postdischarge severe complications or unplanned readmissions. These patients were older, smokers, obese, and functionally dependent (P < .001 for all). In multivariate analysis, severe adverse event predischarge, age, male gender, functional status, and 10 other variables were all associated with ≥1.22 odds of postdischarge severe adverse event or readmission (P < .05). THA and TKA patients with 2, 3, or ≥4 risk factors had 1.43-5.06 times odds of complications within 14 days post discharge and 1.41-3.68 times odds of complications beyond 14 days compared to those with 0 risk factors (P < .001 for all).

Conclusion: Risk factors can be used to predict which home-discharged TJA patients are at greatest risk of postdischarge complications. Given that this is a growing population, we recommend the development of formal risk-stratification protocols for home-discharged TJA patients.

Keywords: home discharge; home health; postdischarge complications; primary total joint arthroplasty; risk stratification; unplanned readmission.