Impact of a new post‐operative care model in a rural hospital after total hip replacement and total knee replacement

Problem The predicted global trend of increasing total hip replacement and total knee replacement numbers leads to a direct and growing impact on health care services. Models of care including ‘fast‐track’ mobilisation after total hip replacement and total knee replacement have been reported to reduce length of stay. This has not been verified in rural settings. Setting Armidale Rural Referral Hospital. Key measures for improvement The new post‐operative care included early discharge planning with or without Day 0 mobilisation with aims to decrease hospital length of stay without affecting complication rates, compared to the conventional model of care. Strategies for change Consistent communication and planning for early discharge occurred before and throughout admission and Day 0 mobilisation. Effects of change There was a statistically significantly less median length of stay following implementation of the new post‐operative care model (3.24 vs 2.29 days [P