Quality of Care Transition and Patient Safety: An Investigation Into Patients After Bariatric Surgery

High quality care transition (QCT) is key to mitigating patient harm after hospital discharge to home. Nevertheless, patients' experiences of QCT are rarely investigated, particularly in acute surgical settings. Given the high relevance of bariatric surgery as the gold standard in the treatment of severely obese patients, mitigation of patient harm is gaining traction. Therefore, we aimed to determine the association between patient-experienced QCT and safety incidents and health complications after bariatric surgery.

Cross-sectional survey study. Using standardized instruments, we surveyed patients about their experiences with the hospital discharge process and the occurrence of patient safety incidents and health complications. Multivariate linear models were applied to determine associations between QCT and patient-reported outcomes.

Among 307 surgical patients, 19% reported medication complications and 14% unplanned hospital readmissions. Most frequent health complications were constipation, nausea and vomiting, pain, diarrhea, and dysphagia, with prevalence from 65% to 16%. High levels of QCT were significantly associated with lower likelihoods of complications, for example, dysphagia, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea. Medication complications and unplanned hospital readmissions were less likely when patients reported high QCT.

A well-organized discharge process is associated with a lower incidence of patient safety incidents and postbariatric surgery complications. Safeguarding patients' discharge from hospitals is critical in promoting patients' health and safe care.