The power of interdisciplinary rounds in an orthopedic joint replacement program

Appropriate discharges for hip and knee arthroplasty require high levels of resources and coordination. To assist in this process, an orthopedics department at an urban tertiary care hospital implemented interdisciplinary rounds (IDRs) to enhance collaborative care for patients undergoing joint replacement surgery. This study presents data to evaluate the impact of IDRs in a total joint replacement program. This is a retrospective database study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the IDRs. Data was collected from the hospital EMR from January 1st, 2012 to April 30th, 2025. The database was created using diagnosis-related group to collect patients undergoing hip and knee replacements. IDRs were initiated in 2015. The data was divided into two groups: Patients treated in 2012-2014 versus 2015-2024. Various outcomes were analyzed, including length of stay, discharge to rehab, and readmission rates. 490 patients were treated pre-IDR and 8,971 post-IDR. Post-IDR patients had a shorter mean LOS (β=-0.96 days, 95% CI -1.33 to -0.60,p<0.001) and higher odds of discharge home (OR=5.40, 95% CI 4.36–6.69,p<0.001). There was no significant difference in 30-day readmission (OR=0.82, 95% CI 0.51–1.33,p=0.419). Implementation of IDRs in a high-volume joint replacement center was associated with shorter hospital stays, increased discharges to home, and reduced SNF utilization without increasing readmissions. IDRs represent an effective, scalable strategy for improving discharge planning and postoperative outcomes in total joint arthroplasty.