Hospital readmissions for spine surgery may be overestimated by current algorithms, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Beejal Amin, MD, of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, and his colleagues analyzed 5,780 consecutive patient encounters by 10 spine surgeons at the University of California San Francisco from 2007 to 2011.
The data showed 4.9 percent of patients were readmitted within 30 days. A manual review showed 69 of these 281 cases should not have been included in the readmission rate, including 39 planned readmissions for staged procedures. The true rate was 3.7 percent.
Researchers have suggested an improved algorithm to calculate the rate.
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The data showed 4.9 percent of patients were readmitted within 30 days. A manual review showed 69 of these 281 cases should not have been included in the readmission rate, including 39 planned readmissions for staged procedures. The true rate was 3.7 percent.
Researchers have suggested an improved algorithm to calculate the rate.
More Articles on Spine:
Study: Surgery Provides Better Outcomes for Spinal Stenosis
8 Lessons Learned Building a Spine Practice
20 Surgeon Leaders With Spine Device Companies