The importance of an organized follow-up for the evaluation of mortality after hospital discharge in cardiac surgery

• Published in: Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery 2008-06, Vol.7 (3), p.449-451
• Main Authors: Noyez, Luc, Verheugt, Freek W.A, van Swieten, Henry A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - mortality; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - standards; Cause of Death; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Netherlands - epidemiology; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); Patient Discharge - statistics & numerical data; Program Evaluation; Registries; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1569-9293; 1569-9285
• DOI: 10.1510/icvts.2007.171678

a Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Heart Center, Radboud University Nijmegen, 677, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands b Department of Cardiology, Heart Center, Radboud University Nijmegen, 677, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands *Corresponding author. Tel.: [phone]; fax: [phone]. E-mail address : l.noyez{at}thorax.umcn.nl (L. Noyez). Objective: Does a structured follow-up, after cardiac surgery in an adult, provide additional information on the operation related mortality especially if mortality is used as an outcome parameter within the quality control? Method: Mortality data of 1132 patients undergoing cardiac surgery in 2003 and 2004 in the Academic Hospital Nijmegen, the Netherlands were registered by a structured follow-up one year after surgery. Results: One year after surgery this follow-up is missing information for eight patients (0.7%). Six patients (0.5%) refused further follow-up. Of the 31 patients who died during the first postoperative year, 21 (68%) were registered thanks to this structured follow-up. In 29 patients it was possible to retrieve the cause of death. Conclusion: A structured follow-up one year after cardiac surgery has a high response and not only provides a better total picture of mortality, but also information on the cause of death. Both aspects are important if mortality is used as a parameter for quality control in cardiac surgery. Key Words: Mortality; Cardiac surgery; Follow-up; Quality control