Table 8. Ratio of actual-to-expected number of readmissions for various time periods after surgical discharge for selected procedures: 1979-80.
| Procedure | Months after discharge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4-6 | 7-9 | |
|
| |||||
| Ratio | |||||
| Prostatectomy (Cancer diagnosis) | 4.42 | 3.20 | 3.16 | 2.92 | 2.47 |
| Prostatectomy (Noncancer diagnosis) | 3.58 | 2.01 | 1.86 | 1.63 | 1.53 |
| Cholecystectomy | 3.01 | 1.99 | 1.69 | 1.54 | 1.45 |
| Inguinal hernia repair | 1.72 | 1.34 | 1.21 | 1.17 | 1.14 |
| Coronary artery bypass | 6.67 | 3.05 | 2.42 | 1.89 | 1.67 |
| Reduction, fracture of femur | 3.75 | 2.15 | 1.86 | 1.53 | 1.42 |
| Total hip replacement | 3.07 | 1.73 | 1.79 | 1.45 | 1.38 |
| Other arthroplasty of hip | 3.87 | 1.96 | 1.71 | 1.47 | 1.41 |
NOTES: Expected number of readmissions is based on the age- and sex-specific rates of the entire Medicare aged population applied to the populations of patients undergoing the individual procedures. All ratios are significantly above 1.00 at the .05 level.
SOURCE: Health Care Financing Administration, Bureau of Data Management and Strategy: Data from the Medicare Statistical System, 1979-81.