Modifying Patient Expectations Can Enhance Total Hip Arthroplasty Postoperative Satisfaction

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Patient Outcomes Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Optimizing patient-centered care in total hip arthroplasty (THA) requires understanding patient expectations.
• Tailoring care to THA recipients can improve recovery and hospital quality metrics.
• The relationship between patient expectations and length of stay (LOS) in THA is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between patient expectations and inpatient length of stay (LOS) in total hip arthroplasty (THA) candidates.
• To determine if preoperative and postoperative expectations influence LOS and patient acceptance of discharge timing.

Main Methods:

• Multi-institutional prospective observational study (Level II evidence).
• Surveyed 93 THA candidates preoperatively and postoperatively regarding discharge planning and expectations.
• Correlated patient expectations with inpatient LOS across 6 high-volume orthopedic surgeons at 2 medical centers.

Main Results:

• Male gender and commercial insurance were associated with significantly shorter LOS (P < .05).
• Patients with shorter LOS demonstrated higher acceptance of their discharge timing and greater likelihood to participate in same-day discharge (SDD) programs.
• Postoperative patient acceptance of LOS was higher in shorter LOS groups, though not statistically significant (P = .20).

Conclusions:

• Guiding patient expectations preoperatively is crucial for successful and timely THA discharge.
• Transparent communication regarding the perioperative course enhances patient understanding and adherence to the postoperative plan.
• Inpatient LOS did not appear to negatively impact overall patient satisfaction after THA.