Table 1.
Patient characteristics by unit and time period. P values are for comparisons between time periods, within units, derived from t tests for continuous data and Fisher’s exact test for proportions.
| Intervention Unit | Control Units | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variable (Patients) | Period 1 (n = 99) | Period 2 (n = 105) | P Value | Period 1 (n = 156) | Period 2 (n = 70) | P Value |
| Age | 45.8 ± 15.6 | 46.9 ± 16.3 | 0.64 | 54.6 ± 15.9 | 50.2 ± 17.4 | 0.06 |
| Gender, % Female (N) | 56% (55) | 49% (51) | 0.33 | 52% (81) | 50% (35) | 0.79 |
| % Urgent/Emergent Admission (N) | 19% (19) | 21% (22) | 0.86 | 60% (94) | 57% (40) | 0.66 |
| APR-DRGwt | 2.35 ± 1.24 | 2.41 ± 1.42 | 0.75 | 4.32 ± 3.18 | 4.08 ± 3.07 | 0.60 |
| Admission Diagnosis (N) | ||||||
| Cancer | 32% (32) | 34% (36) | 0.82 | 23% (36) | 29% (20) | 0.74 |
| Diverticulitis | 3% (3) | 2% (2) | 5% (8) | 4% (3) | ||
| IBD | 44% (44) | 48% (50) | 24% (37) | 19% (13) | ||
| Other* | 20% (20) | 16% (17) | 48% (75) | 49% (34) | ||
| Postop LOS days | 8.7 ± 7.8 | 8.5 ± 8.4 | 0.87 | 14.9 ± 15.2 | 14.4 ± 13.9 | 0.82 |
| Readmit % yes (N) | 28% (28) | 20% (21) | 0.19 | 25% (38) | 33% (23) | 0.19 |
APR-DRGwt = All Patient Refined-Diagnosis Related Groups weighting; IBD=inflammatory bowel disease; LOS=Length of Stay
*
Other diagnoses included: intestinal perforation, other digestive system complications, adhesions with obstruction, fistula, septicemia, acute vascular insufficiency, and Clostridium diffcile colitis.