Retrospective Review of Perioperative Multimodal Analgesia for Orthopedic Patients in a Veterans Affairs Setting

To determine adherence of perioperative knee/hip arthroplasties and hip fracture repairs to the American Pain Society (APS) guideline recommendations for perioperative pain control. One secondary objective was to perform an internal quality audit on the use of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols; another secondary objective was to design an evidence-based, multi-modal perioperative quick-order menu (if warranted).

A retrospective quality improvement (QI) review of uncomplicated knee/hip replacement and hip fracture repairs from January 2018 through March 2018.

West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center (WPB VAMC) including acute care, subacute rehabilitation, and outpatient setting.

Analgesic use in the perioperative setting via electronic health record review.

Forty-seven patients were retrospectively reviewed. Perioperative multi-modal analgesia was used in 85% of patients. Eighty-seven percent were discharged on multi-modal analgesia. There was a 67% response rate to the internal quality audit on ERAS protocol usage from the orthopedic team.

A retrospective QI review completed approximately two years after APS guideline publication showed that compliance with these recommendations for multi-modal analgesia (consisting of the use of at least two medication classes) at the WPB VAMC in the postoperative setting for knee/hip arthroplasties and hip fracture repairs was 85%. This indicated potential for improvement in achieving a pharmacologic multimodal and ERAS intervention. The authors developed an evidence-based quick-order menu to further reinforce adherence to the APS perioperative guidelines.