Avoidable admissions in gynecology oncology patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy (520)

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the rate and identify factors associated with potentially avoidable admissions following a minimally invasive hysterectomy. Methods: Patients who underwent a minimally invasive hysterectomy for a suspected or known gynecologic malignancy between January 2019 to July 2021 were identified in our institution’s prospectively curated quality improvement surgical database. Preoperatively, patients were assessed for planned same-day discharge versus a planned admission. Reasons for those who were admitted despite a planned same-day discharge were characterized as the following: anesthesia-related, comorbid conditions, intraoperative factors, social factors, system issues, and uncontrolled pain. For planned admissions, reasons for admission were categorized as necessary and potentially unavoidable. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the cohort. Results: A total of 380 patients were identified, of which 267 (70%) patients had a planned same-day discharge, and 113 (30%) had an anticipated admission. Same-day surgery discharge rates increased over time (Figure 1). Two hundred and thirty-five patients (88%) were successfully discharged the same day. Of these patients, 17 (7%) presented to the emergency department (ED) within 30 days, and the re-admission rate in this group was 12% (n=2). Thirty-two patients did not successfully discharge on the same day, and five patients (15%) presented to the ED for evaluation within 30 days. Most unplanned admissions were anesthesia-related (n=15, 47%), followed by system issues (n=7, 22%), such as failure to recognize comorbid conditions in the preoperative period, intraoperative factors (n=5, 16%), postoperative pain (n=3, 9%), and social factors (n=2, 6%). Among the 113 anticipated admissions, 78 (69%) patients were deemed necessary due to multi-factorial comorbid conditions or surgical complexity. However, 35 (31%) patients could have been optimized for same-day discharge; reasons for which included patients with comorbid conditions that could have been optimized preopera- tively, such as poorly controlled diabetes (n=13, 12%), system issues, (n= 8, 7%), social factors (n= 7, 6%), anesthesia-related (n= 4, 4%), and surgical complexity (n=3, 3%). Conclusions: Most patients were successfully discharged the same day, and of those who were deemed unsuitable for same-day discharge, nearly half could have been optimized for same-day discharge. Unplanned admissions in the anticipated same-day discharge cohort were primarily due to anesthesia-related concerns in the immediate postoperative period and where patient comorbid conditions could have been better optimized in the preoperative period. Recognizing potential areas for improvement and further optimizing same-day discharge will allow hospital systems to continue providing care for gynecologic oncology patients during COVID-19 surges. Objectives: To determine the rate and identify factors associated with potentially avoidable admissions following a minimally invasive hysterectomy. Methods: Patients who underwent a minimally invasive hysterectomy for a suspected or known gynecologic malignancy between January 2019 to July 2021 were identified in our institution’s prospectively curated quality improvement surgical database. Preoperatively, patients were assessed for planned same-day discharge versus a planned admission. Reasons for those who were admitted despite a planned same-day discharge were characterized as the following: anesthesia-related, comorbid conditions, intraoperative factors, social factors, system issues, and uncontrolled pain. For planned admissions, reasons for admission were categorized as necessary and potentially unavoidable. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the cohort. Results: A total of 380 patients were identified, of which 267 (70%) patients had a planned same-day discharge, and 113 (30%) had an anticipated admission. Same-day surgery discharge rates increased over time (Figure 1). Two hundred and thirty-five patients (88%) were successfully discharged the same day. Of these patients, 17 (7%) presented to the emergency department (ED) within 30 days, and the re-admission rate in this group was 12% (n=2). Thirty-two patients did not successfully discharge on the same day, and five patients (15%) presented to the ED for evaluation within 30 days. Most unplanned admissions were anesthesia-related (n=15, 47%), followed by system issues (n=7, 22%), such as failure to recognize comorbid conditions in the preoperative period, intraoperative factors (n=5, 16%), postoperative pain (n=3, 9%), and social factors (n=2, 6%). Among the 113 anticipated admissions, 78 (69%) patients were deemed necessary due to multi-factorial comorbid conditions or surgical complexity. However, 35 (31%) patients could have been optimized for same-day discharge; reasons for which included patients with comorbid conditions that could have been optimized preopera- tively, such as poorly controlled diabetes (n=13, 12%), system issues, (n= 8, 7%), social factors (n= 7, 6%), anesthesia-related (n= 4, 4%), and surgical complexity (n=3, 3%). Conclusions: Most patients were successfully discharged the same day, and of those who were deemed unsuitable for same-day discharge, nearly half could have been optimized for same-day discharge. Unplanned admissions in the anticipated same-day discharge cohort were primarily due to anesthesia-related concerns in the immediate postoperative period and where patient comorbid conditions could have been better optimized in the preoperative period. Recognizing potential areas for improvement and further optimizing same-day discharge will allow hospital systems to continue providing care for gynecologic oncology patients during COVID-19 surges.