Frailty and Healthcare Utilization Before and After Major Surgery

A study analyzed healthcare utilization patterns before and after major surgery and their association with pre-operative frailty. The results showed that frail patients had worse post-operative outcomes and higher costs during the surgical period. Four distinct utilization trajectories were identified, with a subgroup of patients experiencing a transition from low to high healthcare utilization after surgery. The study suggests the need for tailored care processes for this subgroup. The risk analysis index (RAI) alone was not effective in predicting this transition, but a multivariable model with other preoperative variables was successful.