Racial Disparities in 30-day Readmission After Orthopaedic Surgery: A 5-year National Surgical Quality Improvement
Victoria E Bergstein1, Lucy R O'Sullivan, Kenneth H Levy
1From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (Ms. Bergstein, Ms. O'Sullivan, Dr. Aiyer); the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program, CUNY School of Medicine, New York, NY (Mr. Levy), and the Columbia University Orthopedics at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL (Dr. Vulcano).
Background:
Readmission rate after surgery is an important outcome measure in revealing disparities. This study aimed to examine how 30-day readmission rates and causes of readmission differ by race and specific injury areas within orthopaedic surgery.
Methods:
The American College of Surgeon-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for orthopaedic procedures from 2015 to 2019. Patients were stratified by self-reported race. Procedures were stratified using current procedural terminology codes corresponding to given injury areas. Multiple logistic regression was done to evaluate associations between race and all-cause readmission risk, and risk of readmission due to specific causes.
Results:
Of 780,043 orthopaedic patients, the overall 30-day readmission rate was 4.18%. Black and Asian patients were at greater (OR = 1.18, P < 0.01) and lesser (OR = 0.76, P < 0.01) risk for readmission than White patients, respectively. Black patients were more likely to be readmitted for deep surgical site infection (OR = 1.25, P = 0.03), PE (OR = 1.64, P < 0.01), or wound disruption (OR = 1.45, P < 0.01). For all races, all-cause readmission was highest after spine procedures and lowest after hand/wrist procedures.
Conclusions:
Black patients were at greater risk for overall, spine, shoulder/elbow, hand/wrist, and hip/knee all-cause readmission. Asian patients were at lower risk for overall, spine, hand/wrist, and hip/knee surgery all-cause readmission. Our findings can identify complications that should be more carefully monitored in certain patient populations.
