Impact of a Hospitalist Co-Management Program on Medical Complications and Length of Stay in Neurosurgical Patients

Background

The impact of co-management on clinical outcomes in neurosurgical patients is uncertain. This study aims to describe the implementation of a hospitalist co-management program in a neurosurgery department and its impact on the incidence of complications, mortality, and length of stay.

Methods

The authors used a quasi-experimental study design that compared a historical control period (July–December 2017) to a prospective intervention arm. During the intervention period, patients admitted to a neurosurgery inpatient unit who were older than 65 years, suffered certain conditions, or were admitted from ICUs were included in the co-management program. Two hospitalists joined the surgical staff and intervened in the diagnostic and therapeutical plan of patients, participating in clinical decisions and coordinating patient navigation with neurosurgeons. The incidence of moderate or severe complications measured by the Accordion Severity Grading System, in-hospital mortality, and length of stay of the two cohorts were compared. Multivariate regression was used to adjust for confounders, and the average treatment effect was estimated using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

Results

The adjusted incidence of moderate or severe complications was lower among co-managed patients (odds ratio [OR] 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39–0.91). Mortality was unchanged (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.15–4.17). Length of stay was lower in co-managed patients, with a 1.3-day reduction observed after inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis.

Conclusion

Hospitalist co-management was associated with a reduced incidence of complications and length of stay in neurosurgical patients, but there was no difference in in-hospital mortality.