Gilgamesh J Eamer1, Fiona Clement2, Jayna Holroyd-Leduc3, Adrian Wagg4, Raj Padwal5, Rachel G Khadaroo6. 1. Department of Surgery and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. 2. Department of Community Health Sciences, O'Brien Institute for Public Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. 3. Department of Community Health Sciences, O'Brien Institute for Public Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. 4. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. 5. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Alberta Diabetes Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 6. Department of Surgery and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Electronic address: khadaroo@ualberta.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Aging populations have led to increasing numbers of seniors presenting for emergency surgery. Older patients are at a higher risk of postoperative complications, prolonged hospitalization, and increased institutionalization. We hypothesized that increased frailty would be a risk factor for increased health care costs in elderly surgical patients who have undergone emergency abdominal surgery. METHODS: A prospective cost analysis of emergency general surgery patients 65 years of age and older was conducted. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained. Preadmission Clinical Frailty Scale score and Clavien-Dindo postoperative complications were collected. Patients were followed for 6 months after discharge. Hospitalization costs were calculated using the Alberta Health Services (AHS) microcosting database; other costs were obtained from Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health databases. The primary outcome was total insured cost (2016 Can$). Multivariate generalized linear regression of log-transformed costs was conducted. RESULTS: Overall, 321 patients were enrolled. Mean age was 76.1 years (standard deviation 7.8), median Clinical Frailty Scale was 3, mean length of stay was 15.9 days (standard deviation 23.4), and 48% suffered a complication. Median total insured cost was Can$18,021 and median total cost was Can$26,739. Multivariate analysis found American Society of Anesthesiologists score (adjusted ratio [AR] = 1.24, P = .001), CFS (AR = 1.27, P < .001), major complications (AR = 2.11, P < .001), and minor complications (AR = 1.48, P < .001) lead to increased total insured costs. CONCLUSION: Costs increased-after adjusting for age, comorbidities, and preadmission function as frailty-and American Society of Anesthesiologists score increased if minor or major complications occurred. The detection of frailty represents an opportunity to target risk-reduction strategies and interventions to improve outcomes and decrease cost.
BACKGROUND: Aging populations have led to increasing numbers of seniors presenting for emergency surgery. Older patients are at a higher risk of postoperative complications, prolonged hospitalization, and increased institutionalization. We hypothesized that increased frailty would be a risk factor for increased health care costs in elderly surgical patients who have undergone emergency abdominal surgery. METHODS: A prospective cost analysis of emergency general surgery patients 65 years of age and older was conducted. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained. Preadmission Clinical Frailty Scale score and Clavien-Dindo postoperative complications were collected. Patients were followed for 6 months after discharge. Hospitalization costs were calculated using the Alberta Health Services (AHS) microcosting database; other costs were obtained from Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health databases. The primary outcome was total insured cost (2016 Can$). Multivariate generalized linear regression of log-transformed costs was conducted. RESULTS: Overall, 321 patients were enrolled. Mean age was 76.1 years (standard deviation 7.8), median Clinical Frailty Scale was 3, mean length of stay was 15.9 days (standard deviation 23.4), and 48% suffered a complication. Median total insured cost was Can$18,021 and median total cost was Can$26,739. Multivariate analysis found American Society of Anesthesiologists score (adjusted ratio [AR] = 1.24, P = .001), CFS (AR = 1.27, P < .001), major complications (AR = 2.11, P < .001), and minor complications (AR = 1.48, P < .001) lead to increased total insured costs. CONCLUSION: Costs increased-after adjusting for age, comorbidities, and preadmission function as frailty-and American Society of Anesthesiologists score increased if minor or major complications occurred. The detection of frailty represents an opportunity to target risk-reduction strategies and interventions to improve outcomes and decrease cost.
Authors: Rachel G Khadaroo; Lindsey M Warkentin; Adrian S Wagg; Raj S Padwal; Fiona Clement; Xiaoming Wang; William D Buie; Jayna Holroyd-Leduc Journal: JAMA Surg Date: 2020-04-15 Impact factor: 14.766
Authors: Carmel L Montgomery; Nguyen X Thanh; Henry T Stelfox; Colleen M Norris; Darryl B Rolfson; Steven R Meyer; Mohamad A Zibdawi; Sean M Bagshaw Journal: CJC Open Date: 2020-09-14
Authors: Carol J Peden; Geeta Aggarwal; Robert J Aitken; Iain D Anderson; Nicolai Bang Foss; Zara Cooper; Jugdeep K Dhesi; W Brenton French; Michael C Grant; Folke Hammarqvist; Sarah P Hare; Joaquim M Havens; Daniel N Holena; Martin Hübner; Jeniffer S Kim; Nicholas P Lees; Olle Ljungqvist; Dileep N Lobo; Shahin Mohseni; Carlos A Ordoñez; Nial Quiney; Richard D Urman; Elizabeth Wick; Christopher L Wu; Tonia Young-Fadok; Michael Scott Journal: World J Surg Date: 2021-03-06 Impact factor: 3.352