Outcomes of Common General Surgery Patients Discharged Over Weekends at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction: The admission of patients on weekends in multiple health centers has been associated with poorer outcomes relative to care provided during regular weekday hours. This study aimed to assess and compare the health outcomes of patients discharged on weekends and weekdays after undergoing surgery in a tertiary hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

Materials and methods: The data of patients were collected from hospital records in a retrospective manner, and the outcomes were assessed after discharge. Patients discharged on Friday and Saturday were considered weekend discharges, and those discharged on other days were considered weekday discharges. Data related to readmission and emergency department (ED) visits included the primary diagnosis, number of days post-primary discharge, length of stay, chief complaint, and the number of ED visits. A logistic regression model was done to assess the predictive factor for 30-readmission after surgery. 

Results: The frequency of discharge over the weekend was 9.1%. About 6.5% and 7.3% were found to have 30-day readmission and 30-day ED visits, respectively. A statistically significant association was not observed between weekend discharge and the development of postoperative complications (p>0.05). A multinomial logistic regression showed that patients who had emergency admission, postoperative complications, and the presence of cancer were found to be independently associated with 30-day readmission after discharge (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Proactive strategies to reduce costly readmissions after surgery can be designed once the high-risk patient subset is identified.