Optimism and Rehospitalization After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Abstract

REHOSPITALIZATION after major surgery represents an important outcome measure.^1-5 Not only does rehospitalization impact negatively on the quality of life of the patients and families involved, it also has substantial adverse economic effects on the health care delivery system. For example, 24% of total hospital expenditures under Medicare have been estimated to be caused by rehospitalization.⁶ Given the personal and economic costs involved, it becomes important to identify risk factors for rehospitalization so that effective intervention procedures might eventually be implemented. It is particularly important to identify risk factors for rehospitalization after coronary revascularization procedures because rates of rehospitalization after revascularization surgery are particularly high, compared with other types of surgery.^2,7