title: Results of Postdischarge Nursing Telephone Assessments: Persistent Symptoms Common Among Pulmonary Resection Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After hospital discharge, patients may have questions or complaints that surface or remain inadequately addressed. However, the dominant concerns and indications for further intervention among recently discharged patients after pulmonary resection have not been well described. The aims of this study were to characterize dominant concerns of pulmonary resection patients after discharge and to elucidate any relevant risk factors for their development.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-institution, retrospective review was conducted of all patients who underwent pulmonary resection over a 12-month period and included records of standardized, nurse-initiated follow-up phone calls to discharged patients. Records of postdischarge telephone calls were reviewed, and data collected pertaining to complaints requiring counseling over the phone or escalation to higher care level. Demographic, operative, and hospital data were examined by multivariate analyses to assess predictors of need for counseling or escalation of care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 523 patients underwent pulmonary resection during the study, and 245 (46.8%) had nursing-documented telephone conversations at 4.6 days (±0.18) days after discharge. Among those reached, 81 (33.1%) had problems requiring counseling during the call; 31 (12.7%) reported concerns requiring escalation of care, handled by subsequent telephone call for 7 (22.6%), clinic appointment for 22 (71.0%), or emergency room referral for 2 (6.5%). Age, sex, race, and residential proximity to the hospital did not predict need for counseling nor escalation of care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient complaints after pulmonary resection were frequent, with most problems resolved by telephone counseling. Despite highly prevalent concerns, predictors of need for counseling or care escalation were not identified, suggesting ongoing utility in the practice of telephoning all patients. Further, this study serves as a needs assessment, highlighting the importance of patient education and discharge planning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Electronic address: mbantonoff@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Mara B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Antonoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ragalie
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Arlene M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Spicer
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sepesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Jack A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Garrett L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Wayne L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hofstetter
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Swisher
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Ara A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vaporciyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Reza J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mehran
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000451:nursing*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000451:nursing*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult