• Alexandra W Acher, Stephanie A Campbell-Flohr, Maria Brenny-Fitzpatrick, Kristine M Leahy-Gross, Sara Fernandes-Taylor, Alexander V Fisher, Suresh Agarwal, Amy J Kind, Caprice C Greenberg, Pascale Carayon, and Sharon M Weber.
• Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI.
• J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2017 Aug 1; 225 (2): 259-265.

BackgroundPoor-quality transitions of care from hospital to home contribute to high rates of readmission after complex abdominal surgery. The Coordinated Transitional Care (C-TraC) program improved readmission rates in medical patients, but evidence-based surgical transitional care protocols are lacking. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an adapted surgical C-TraC protocol.Study DesignThe intervention includes in-person enrollment of patients. Follow-up protocolized phone calls by specially trained surgical C-TraC nurses addressed medication management, clinic appointments, operation-specific concerns, and identification of red-flag symptoms. Enrollment criteria included pancreatectomy, gastrectomy, operative small bowel obstruction or perforation, ostomy, discharge with a drain, in-hospital complication, and clinician discretion. Engaged patients participated in the first phone call, which was within 48 to 72 hours of discharge and continued every 3 to 4 days. Patients completed the program once they and surgical C-TraC nurse agreed that no additional follow-up was needed or the patient was readmitted.ResultsTwo hundred and twelve patients were enrolled, October 2015 through April 2016, with a mean age of 56 years (range 19 to 89 years); 33% of patients were 65 years or older. Surgery sites included colon (46%), small bowel (16%), pancreas (12%), multivisceral (9%), liver (4.5%), retroperitoneum/soft tissue (4.5%), gastric (4%), biliary (2%), and appendix (1.5%). Refusal rate was 1% and engagement was 95%. At initial call, 47% of patients had at least 1 medication discrepancy (range 0 to 6). Mean number of calls from provider to patient was 3.2 (range 0 to 20, median 3).ConclusionsA phone-based transitional care protocol for surgical patients is feasible, with <1% refusals and 95% engagement. Medication management is a prominent issue. Future studies are needed to assess the impact of surgical C-TraC on post-discharge healthcare use.Copyright © 2017 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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