Retrospective analysis of never events in panniculectomy and abdominoplasty patients and their financial implications

In 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service adapted a list from the National Quality Forum consisting of 10 hospital-acquired conditions, also known as never events. Deeming such events as preventable in a safe-hospital setting, reimbursement is no longer provided for treatments arising secondary to these events. A retrospective chart review identified 90 panniculectomy and abdominoplasty patients. The hospital-acquired conditions examined include surgical-site infections (SSI), vascular-catheter associated infections, deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, retained foreign body, catheter-related urinary tract infection, manifestations of poor glycemic control, falls and trauma, air embolism, pressure ulcers (stages II I and IV), and blood incompatibility. Information regarding age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, body mass index, smoking, and chemotherapy were collected. Patients were divided into 2 groups, namely, those who developed never events and those with no events. Of the 90 patients, 14 (15.5%) developed never events because of SSI. No events occurred in the remaining 9 categories. Statistically significant risk factors included American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, age, and diabetes mellitus. The most common never event was SSI. In light of the obvious prevalence of the risk factors in patients who develop these events, the question of whether never events are truly unavoidable arises. Despite this, awareness of the impact on patient care, health care and hospital reimbursement is vital to understanding the new paradigm of the "one size fits all."