Improving Quality and Decreasing Cost by Reducing Re-admissions in Patients Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has had an increased demand over the recent years. It is a successful procedure, and there are relatively few complications, but there is a high overall cost. There is a push to increase the quality of care, lessen complications, and decrease cost by reducing readmissions. This article will discuss the risk factors that can contribute to the complication and readmission rates following TJA.

Several risk factors have been found to contribute to the complication and readmission rates following a TJA. It is important to understand these risk factors and mitigate them as much as possible in order to optimize the patient experience. There are risk factors that cannot be modified, and the treatment team as well as the patient should be made aware of these and account for them when making the decision whether to undergo elective primary TJA or not. In general, an increased number of risk factors is associated with increased complications and increased readmission rates. At our institution, we have used this knowledge to improve our outcomes and decrease costs. It is important to be mindful of risk factors for poor outcomes prior to performing TJA. This allows for the optimization of patients prior to undergoing surgery. This can lead to improved outcomes at a lower cost.