Alexandra W Acher1, Stephanie A Campbell-Flohr1, Maria Brenny-Fitzpatrick1, Kristine M Leahy-Gross1, Sara Fernandes-Taylor1, Alexander V Fisher1, Suresh Agarwal1, Amy J Kind2, Caprice C Greenberg3, Pascale Carayon4, Sharon M Weber5. 1. Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. 2. Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; William S Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Shorewood Hills, WI. 3. Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. 4. Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. 5. Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; William S Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Shorewood Hills, WI. Electronic address: webers@surgery.wisc.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Poor-quality transitions of care from hospital to home contribute to high rates of readmission after complex abdominal surgery. The Coordinated Transitional Care (C-TraC) program improved readmission rates in medical patients, but evidence-based surgical transitional care protocols are lacking. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an adapted surgical C-TraC protocol. STUDY DESIGN: The intervention includes in-person enrollment of patients. Follow-up protocolized phone calls by specially trained surgical C-TraC nurses addressed medication management, clinic appointments, operation-specific concerns, and identification of red-flag symptoms. Enrollment criteria included pancreatectomy, gastrectomy, operative small bowel obstruction or perforation, ostomy, discharge with a drain, in-hospital complication, and clinician discretion. Engaged patients participated in the first phone call, which was within 48 to 72 hours of discharge and continued every 3 to 4 days. Patients completed the program once they and surgical C-TraC nurse agreed that no additional follow-up was needed or the patient was readmitted. RESULTS: Two hundred and twelve patients were enrolled, October 2015 through April 2016, with a mean age of 56 years (range 19 to 89 years); 33% of patients were 65 years or older. Surgery sites included colon (46%), small bowel (16%), pancreas (12%), multivisceral (9%), liver (4.5%), retroperitoneum/soft tissue (4.5%), gastric (4%), biliary (2%), and appendix (1.5%). Refusal rate was 1% and engagement was 95%. At initial call, 47% of patients had at least 1 medication discrepancy (range 0 to 6). Mean number of calls from provider to patient was 3.2 (range 0 to 20, median 3). CONCLUSIONS: A phone-based transitional care protocol for surgical patients is feasible, with <1% refusals and 95% engagement. Medication management is a prominent issue. Future studies are needed to assess the impact of surgical C-TraC on post-discharge healthcare use.
BACKGROUND: Poor-quality transitions of care from hospital to home contribute to high rates of readmission after complex abdominal surgery. The Coordinated Transitional Care (C-TraC) program improved readmission rates in medical patients, but evidence-based surgical transitional care protocols are lacking. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an adapted surgical C-TraC protocol. STUDY DESIGN: The intervention includes in-person enrollment of patients. Follow-up protocolized phone calls by specially trained surgical C-TraC nurses addressed medication management, clinic appointments, operation-specific concerns, and identification of red-flag symptoms. Enrollment criteria included pancreatectomy, gastrectomy, operative small bowel obstruction or perforation, ostomy, discharge with a drain, in-hospital complication, and clinician discretion. Engaged patients participated in the first phone call, which was within 48 to 72 hours of discharge and continued every 3 to 4 days. Patients completed the program once they and surgical C-TraC nurse agreed that no additional follow-up was needed or the patient was readmitted. RESULTS: Two hundred and twelve patients were enrolled, October 2015 through April 2016, with a mean age of 56 years (range 19 to 89 years); 33% of patients were 65 years or older. Surgery sites included colon (46%), small bowel (16%), pancreas (12%), multivisceral (9%), liver (4.5%), retroperitoneum/soft tissue (4.5%), gastric (4%), biliary (2%), and appendix (1.5%). Refusal rate was 1% and engagement was 95%. At initial call, 47% of patients had at least 1 medication discrepancy (range 0 to 6). Mean number of calls from provider to patient was 3.2 (range 0 to 20, median 3). CONCLUSIONS: A phone-based transitional care protocol for surgical patients is feasible, with <1% refusals and 95% engagement. Medication management is a prominent issue. Future studies are needed to assess the impact of surgical C-TraC on post-discharge healthcare use.
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