Outpatient Rehabilitation Care Process Factors and Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Discharged Home Following Unilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 885 - 890
• Main Authors: Brennan, Gerard P., PT, PhD, Fritz, Julie M., PT, PhD, FAPTA, Houck, L.T.C. Kevin M., PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS, Hunter, Stephen J., PT, DPT
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2015
• Subjects: Ambulatory Care; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - rehabilitation; care pathway; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Orthopedics; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); Patient Discharge; physical therapy; Physical Therapy Modalities; quality improvement; Range of Motion, Articular; rehabilitation; Retrospective Studies; total knee arthroplasty; Treatment Outcome; total knee arthroplasty; rehabilitation; physical therapy; care pathway; quality improvement
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2014.12.013

Abstract Research examining care process variables and their relationship to clinical outcomes after total knee arthroplasty has focused primarily on inpatient variables. Care process factors related to outpatient rehabilitation have not been adequately examined. We conducted a retrospective review of 321 patients evaluating outpatient care process variables including use of continuous passive motion, home health physical therapy, number of days from inpatient discharge to beginning outpatient physical therapy, and aspects of outpatient physical therapy (number of visits, length of stay) as possible predictors of pain and disability outcomes of outpatient physical therapy. Only the number of days between inpatient discharge and outpatient physical therapy predicted better outcomes, suggesting that this may be a target for improving outcomes after total knee arthroplasty for patients discharged directly home.