• Jay M Levin, Robert D Winkelman, Gabriel A Smith, Joseph E Tanenbaum, Edward C Benzel, Thomas E Mroz, and Michael P Steinmetz.
• *Center for Spine Health, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH †Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH ‡Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH §Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, OH ¶Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH ||Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
• Spine. 2017 May 1; 42 (9): 675-681.

Study DesignA retrospective cohort study at a single institution.ObjectiveTo determine the effect of preoperative depression on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey scores in a lumbar fusion population.Summary Of Background DataHCAHPS surveys are used to assess the quality of the patient experience, and directly influences reimbursement for hospital systems and spine surgeons nationwide. Untreated depression has been linked to worse functional outcomes in spine surgery. We, however, aimed to elucidate whether HCAHPS survey responses were different in depressed patients.MethodsProspectively collected functional outcome data including Patient Health Questionnaire 9, EuroQol five dimensions, and Pain Disability Questionnaire were analyzed preoperatively. Preoperative Patient Health Questionnaire 9 scores of greater than or equal to 10 (moderate to severe depression) defined our depressed cohort of patients. HCAHPS responses were obtained for each individual, allowing for real-world analysis of outcomes in this population.ResultsIn our 237 patient cohort, depressed patients were younger, female; were on full disability; and had lower scores on EuroQol five dimensions and Pain Disability Questionnaire preoperatively. Approximately 73.2% of depressed patients felt doctors treated them with respect, compared to 88.8% of patients without depression (P = 0.005). Also, depressed patients felt nurses treated them with less respect (P = 0.014) and that physicians did not listen to them as carefully (P = 0.029). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that patients with preoperative depression had higher odds of patients feeling less respected by both physicians and nurses. Multivariate analysis also revealed that depression was an independent predictor of lower patient satisfaction with nursing response to their needs.ConclusionIn patients undergoing lumbar fusion, preoperative depression was shown to have negative effect on patient experience measured by the HCAHPS survey. These results suggest that depression may be a modifiable risk factor for poor hospital experience.Level Of Evidence3.

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