The enhanced perioperative care program improved clinical and financial outcomes for major adult spine surgery patients at the Seattle-based University of Washington, according to a study in Spine.
The researchers compared 183 subjects in traditional care to 267 intervention period patients.
Three study insights:
1. The rate of postoperative intensive care unit admissions was higher for the traditional care group — 60 percent — than the enhanced perioperative care program rate — 48 percent.
2. There was no difference in postoperative complications and 30-day hospital readmissions between the two groups.
3. Implementing the enhanced perioperative care spine program reduced average costs from $62,429 to $53,355.