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Background: Optimization of clinical pathways and logistics led to the introduction of outpatient joint arthroplasty of the hip and knee. Nevertheless, little is known about what these current protocols look like and how they differ from "standard" inpatient protocols. This study aimed to find preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative differences between outpatient and inpatient pathways., Methods: A questionnaire (ranging between 23 and 37 items) was developed and administered by email to orthopedic surgeons who were a member of the Dutch Hip Society and Dutch Knee Society. Survey response rate was 38% (N = 117)., Results: No significant differences were found in preoperative pathway characteristics. The administration regime for tranexamic acid significantly differed between outpatient and inpatient pathways ( P < .001 and P  = .002 for hip and knee arthroplasty, respectively), with outpatient pathways using a combined (eg, oral and intravenous) administration regime more frequently. The perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis regime also significantly differed between outpatient and inpatient pathways ( P < .001 and P  = .014, respectively), with outpatient pathways more frequently incorporating fewer antibiotic doses. Same-day postoperative mobilization significantly less often occurred if surgery took place later that day in inpatient hip arthroplasty pathways (24%; P  = .034). Postoperative hemoglobin-check occurred significantly more often on indication in outpatient than in inpatient hip and knee arthroplasty pathways (∼75% vs ∼25%; P  = .001)., Conclusions: Few intraoperative and postoperative differences in outpatient and inpatient pathways were found and probably mainly relied on logistical grounds. Nonetheless, findings suggested that outpatient pathways tended to be more up-to-date and innovative than inpatient pathways., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether positively or negatively phrased Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) prior to a visit with the hand surgeon affect patient perceived empathy and patient satisfaction (Patient-Reported Experience Measures [PREMs])., Methods: Between June 2017 and July 2017, we enrolled 134 patients who presented to 3 hand surgeons at 2 outpatient offices. They were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: completion of negatively framed questionnaires (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-2], Pain Catastrophizing Scale [PCS-4], and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System [PROMIS] depression Computer Adaptive Test [CAT]) or completion of positively framed questionnaires (Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire [PSEQ-2]) prior to the visit. At the end of the visit, all patients completed questionnaires on patient-perceived physician empathy and patient satisfaction. Five patients were excluded from the analysis after randomization., Results: There was no statistically significant differences between groups on patient-perceived physician empathy and patient satisfaction., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the content of psychological questionnaires completed prior to the visit does not affect patient satisfaction and perceived empathy recorded after the visit., Clinical Relevance: Given the degree to which PROMs are influenced by psychosocial factors, and prior evidence that PROMs are primed by negatively framed questionnaires, it is reassuring that negatively framed PROMs did not affect PREMs, but more research is merited., (Copyright © 2018 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)