Shoulder replacement is the third most common joint-replacement surgery in the U.S. and is likely to become more common as the population ages, according to Penn State researchers. Though most patients go home on the same day as their surgery, those with greater health risks or serious injuries are admitted to the hospital for shoulder replacement. Patients who experience complications like infection or sepsis sometimes need to be readmitted to the hospital for treatment at a later date.
In a study published in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery Open Access, an interdisciplinary team of Penn State researchers identified the demographic and medical factors related to increased readmission rates after inpatient shoulder replacement surgeries in Pennsylvania. The researchers found that risk factors for readmission included the urgency of initial admission to the hospital, the number of other health problems a patient experienced, where a patient was housed following discharge from the hospital and their insurance type. The results could be used to improve both patient outcomes and the efficiency of the healthcare system, according to the researchers.
