Thinking Beyond Age for Postacute Care After Major Abdominal Surgery

By the year 2030, more than 20% of the population will be aged 65 years or older.1 Currently, this older population represents more than 35% of all inpatient procedures, accounting for a disproportionate use of health care resources and expenditures.2,3 This use of resources often spans beyond the surgical encounter, particularly when patients are discharged to postacute care facilities, with an additional estimated annual cost of more than $62 billion.4 A better understanding of discharge patterns among older individuals undergoing surgery is important not only for resource utilization and planning but also to better counsel patients and families as part of the preoperative decision-making process.