RAPID RECOVERY MANAGEMENT - THE EFFECTS ON THE PATIENT WHO HAS UNDERGONE HEART-SURGERY

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients who have undergone heart surg ery can be managed with use of rapid recovery guidelines without any s ubsequent increase in complication, mortality or readmission rates. DE SIGN: Retrospective study, two groups, comparative. SETTING: Private m idwestern hospital with 690 licensed beds. SUBJECTS: Group I consisted of 312 adult patients who had undergone heart surgery in 1993 who wer e managed using traditional methods. Group II consisted of 303 patient s who had undergone heart surgery in 1994 who were managed using rapid recovery guidelines. OUTCOME MEASURES: Complications (pneumonia and w ound infections), mortality, and readmission rates. RESULTS: Of the su rgeries performed in 1994, 44% of the patients were discharged by post operative day 4. No increase was noted in complication, mortality, and readmission rates. CONCLUSIONS: When compared to patients who were ma naged by traditional methods, these findings indicated that it is poss ible to manage adult patients who have undergone heart surgery using r apid recovery guidelines and maintain high-quality patient outcomes an d level of satisfaction. In addition, cost savings and decreased resou rce use are added benefits.