Background: The purpose of the study was to gain insight into how clinically relevant improvement in patient-reported outcome measure scores after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may be underestimated or overestimated, we compared patient-reported outcome measure respondents and nonrespondents on their adverse event rates and assessed whether adverse event occurrence was associated with clinically relevant patient-reported outcome measure improvement from those without adverse events. Methods: All primary THAs and TKAs performed in 19 Dutch hospitals between January 2017 and December 2019 were included. The hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score-physical function short form (HOOS-PS) and knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score-physical function short form (KOOS-PS) were used to assess the physical function after THA and TKA, respectively. Adverse events included 1-year revision, 30-day readmission, 30-day complications, and long (ie, >75th percentile) length of stay. A clinically relevant improvement was defined as at least a 10-point decrease in HOOS-PS and 9 points in KOOS-PS scores. Associations between adverse events and clinically relevant HOOS-PS and KOOS-PS improvement were assessed using binary logistic regression models adjusted for patient characteristics and clustering of patients within hospitals. Results: There were 20,338 THA and 18,082 TKA procedures included. Adverse events occurred more frequently in HOOS-PS and KOOS-PS nonrespondents than in respondents. The THA patients experiencing revision, complications, or long length of stay were less likely to experience clinically relevant HOOS-PS improvements (odds ratios of 0.11 [0.06 to 0.20], 0.44 [0.30 to 0.63], and 0.66 [0.50 to 0.88], respectively). The TKA patients experiencing revision or long length of stay were less likely to experience clinically relevant KOOS-PS improvements (odds ratios of 0.26 [0.12 to 0.55] and 0.63 [0.50 to 0.80], respectively). Conclusions: Clinically relevant HOOS-PS and KOOS-PS improvements are likely overestimated, as nonrespondents had higher adverse event rates which were associated with lower likelihood to achieve clinically relevant HOOS-PS and KOOS-PS improvements. ... Read more

Objective To assess the effectiveness of a prospective multifaceted quality improvement intervention on patient outcomes after total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA). Design Cluster randomised controlled trial nested in a national registry. From 1 January 2018 to 31 May 2020 routinely submitted registry data on revision and patient characteristics were used, supplemented with hospital data on readmission, complications and length of stay (LOS) for all patients. Setting 20 orthopaedic departments across hospitals performing THA and TKA in The Netherlands. Participants 32 923 patients underwent THA and TKA, in 10 intervention and 10 control hospitals (usual care). Intervention The intervention period lasted 8 months and consisted of the following components: (1) monthly updated feedback on 1-year revision, 30-day readmission, 30-day complications, long (upper quartile) LOS and these four indicators combined in a composite outcome; (2) interactive education; (3) an action toolbox including evidence-based quality improvement initiatives (QIIs) to facilitate improvement of above indicators; and (4) bimonthly surveys to report on QII undertaken. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was textbook outcome (TO), an all-or-none composite representing the best outcome on all performance indicators (ie, the absence of revision, readmissions, complications and long LOS). The individual indicators were analysed as secondary outcomes. Changes in outcomes from pre-intervention to intervention period were compared between intervention versus control hospitals, adjusted for case-mix and clustering of patients within hospitals using random effect binary logistic regression models. The same analyses were conducted for intervention hospitals that did and did not introduce QII. Results 16,314 patients were analysed in intervention hospitals (12,475 before and 3,839 during intervention) versus 16,609 in control hospitals (12,853 versus 3,756). After the intervention period, the absolute probability to achieve TO increased by 4.32% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.30-4.34) more in intervention than control hospitals, corresponding to 21.6 (95%CI 21.5-21.8), i.e., 22 patients treated in intervention hospitals to achieve one additional patient with TO. Intervention hospitals had a larger increase in patients achieving TO (ratio of adjusted odds ratios 1.24, 95%CI 1.05-1.48) than control hospitals, a larger reduction in patients with long LOS (0.74, 95%CI 0.61-0.90) but also a larger increase in patients with reported 30-day complications (1.34, 95%CI 1.00-1.78). Intervention hospitals that introduced QII increased more in TO (1.32, 95%CI 1.10-1.57) than control hospitals, with no effect shown for hospitals not introducing QII (0.93, 95%CI 0.67-1.30). Conclusion The multifaceted QI intervention including monthly feedback, education, and a toolbox to facilitate QII effectively improved patients achieving TO. The effect size was associated with the introduction of (evidence-based) QII, considered as the causal link to achieve better patient outcomes. Trial registration number NCT04055103. ... Read more

Background and purpose — The Netherlands Registry of Orthopedic Implants (LROI) uses audit and feedback (A&F) as the strategy to improve performance outcomes after total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA). Effectiveness of A&F depends on awareness of below-average performance to initiate improvement activities. We explored the awareness of Dutch orthopedic surgeons regarding their performance on outcomes after THA/TKA and factors associated with this awareness. Methods — An anonymous questionnaire was sent to all 445 eligible Dutch orthopedic surgeons performing THA/TKA. To assess awareness on own surgeon-group performance, they were asked whether their 1-year THA/TKA revision rates over the past 2 years were below average (negative outlier), average (non-outlier), above average (positive outlier) in the funnel plot on the LROI dashboard, or did not know. Associations were determined with (1) dashboard login at least once a year (yes/no); (2) correct funnel-plot interpretation (yes/no) and; (3) recall of their 1-year THA/TKA revision rate (yes/no). Results — 44% of respondents started the questionnaire, 158 THA and 156 TKA surgeons. 55% of THA surgeons and 55% of TKA surgeons were aware of their performance. Surgeons aware of their performance more often logged in on the LROI dashboard, more often interpreted funnel plots correctly, and more often recalled their revision rate. 38% of THA and 26% of TKA surgeons scored “good” on all 3 outcomes. Interpretation — Only half of the orthopedic surgeons were aware of their performance status regarding outcomes after THA/TKA. This suggests that to increase awareness, orthopedic surgeons need to be actively motivated to look at the dashboard more frequently and educated on interpretation of funnel plots for audit and feedback to be effective. ... Read more