Seniors more likely to be admitted after ambulatory surgery than younger patients

Cognitive impairment and poor health literacy have resulted in low adherence to discharge instructions and unintentional medication errors in older adults after nonsurgical hospital discharge. However, it is not known whether age is an independent risk factor for unanticipated hospital admission after ambulatory surgical procedures.

This study from the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, evaluates whether there is an independent association between age and unanticipated hospital admission after ambulatory surgery.
Of 53,000 patients analyzed, those aged 65 and older were 54% more likely to be admitted to the hospital within 30 days of ambulatory surgery than those younger than 65.

The researchers concluded that seniors are much more likely than younger patients to be admitted to the hospital after ambulatory surgery. The patients’ health before surgery was not a factor in the higher readmission rate. The primary reason was that older patients had trouble understanding their discharge instructions and medication dosing.

—De Oliveira G S, Holl J L, Lindquist L A, et al. Older adults and unanticipated hospital admission within 30 days of ambulatory surgery: An analysis of 53,667 ambulatory surgical procedures. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015;63(8):1679-1685.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.13537/abstract