Preoperative impairment is associated with a higher postdischarge level of care.

Background: Although preoperative risk factors have been shown to lead to postdischarge institutionalization, an association between preoperative risk factors, preoperative level of required care, and discharge to higher levels of care has not previously been demonstrated.

Materials And Methods: Using an institutional American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, a retrospective review of elderly patients undergoing nonemergent inpatient general surgery procedures was performed with the goal of identifying preoperative risk factors that indicated the need for a higher level of care on hospital discharge. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the patient population.