Skilled care requirements for elderly patients after coronary artery bypass grafting

To examine the extent to which elderly individuals use various skilled care facilities after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Retrospective cohort study.

State of Michigan from 1997 to 1998.

Residents aged 65 and older enrolled in Medicare who underwent CABG.

Cumulative incidence of admission within 100 days of hospital discharge, relative risk (RR) of admission, readmission or extended stay at a skilled care facility, and length of stay in a skilled care facility.

Fifty percent of patients aged 80 and older used a skilled care facility after CABG, with most requiring admission to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or readmission to an acute-care hospital within 100 days after discharge. Patients aged 80 and older had a significantly higher risk of admission to a SNF (adjusted RR=3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.8-4.0) than did those aged 65 to 69, as did patients aged 75 to 79 (adjusted RR=2.2, 95% CI=1.8-2.6) and those aged 70 to 74 (adjusted RR=1.5, 95% CI=1.3-1.8). The length of time spent in skilled care facilities significantly increased with age (mean days=13.3 for aged 65-69, 16.9 for 70-74, 19.6 for 75-79, and 22.9 for 80 and older; P<.001).

Older patients are more likely to be admitted to a SNF, be readmitted to an acute-care hospital, and have longer institutional stays after CABG. When balancing the risks and benefits of CABG, physicians, patients, families, and policy-makers need to carefully consider the likelihood of follow-up institutional care in elderly patients.