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Implementation of an Advanced Practice Provider-Led Postoperative Telephone Follow-Up Program After Cardiac Surgery: A Single-Center Quality Improvement Study
Par Kate Winkler, Regina Doonan, Kelsy Rice et 5 autres.
Contenu en anglais
Résumé
Purpose
Unplanned readmissions after cardiac surgery confer an increased risk for adverse outcomes. Early contact with health care providers has been shown to reduce readmissions. Herein, we present the design and early results of an advanced practice provider (APP)-led targeted calling service for postoperative patients.
Methods
We performed an institutional quality improvement project with a scripted postoperative telephone call curated to identify and triage postoperative patients at risk for unplanned readmission. Beginning in 2025, patients were categorized as either low risk or high risk for readmission by our clinical discharge nurse coordinator and discharging APP. We attempted to contact all patients within the first 72 h of discharge to review vital signs trends, weight stability, fluid balance, rhythm disturbances, or wound healing complications with a scripted questionnaire. Patients with concerns are triaged at the discretion of the outpatient APPs, with priority given towards in-person assessment. Unplanned readmissions were then evaluated retrospectively, readmit reasons were captured, and readmission rates were compared from January 2021 through November 2025.