The Urology Care Hotel: Implementation of a New Model of Care for Postoperative Patients With Determination of Safety, Satisfaction, and Costs.

Abstract

Introduction: Urologic patients, especially comorbid patients and those traveling a significant distance from home, are often observed overnight in a hospital bed after minimally invasive procedures, resulting in additional expense. The Urology Care Hotel is a 6-bedroom stand-alone facility, established to decrease outpatient in bed occupancy. We endeavored to determine the safety, financial implications, and patient experience of this new model of care.

Methods: Demographic, surgical, satisfaction, and comorbidity data were gathered for patients who stayed at least 1 night at the Care Hotel from February 1, 2022, to October 22, 2024. The primary end point was emergency room (ER) encounters and readmissions within 72 hours, whereas secondary end points were cost implications and patient satisfaction. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess predictors of ER presentation.

Results: A total of 756 postoperative urology patients stayed at the Care Hotel, with a median age of 69 years and 235 having an American Society of Anesthesiology score of ≥ 3 (32%). Forty-six (6.1%) patients presented to the ER within 72 hours of Care Hotel check-in with 10 (1.32%) requiring readmission. Logistic regression indicated that patients with American Society of Anesthesiology scores ≥ 3 were not at an increased risk of ER presentation (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 0.68-2.36; P = .42). The estimated cost of a Care Hotel admission was 52.4% of estimated outpatient in a bed costs in 2024. Ninety-seven percent of Care Hotel users reported that they would recommend the service.

Conclusions: Introduction of the Urology Care Hotel provided a safe option for postoperative care after minimally invasive urologic procedures with high patient satisfaction. This model of care offers increased hospital capacity while delivering significant cost savings to the institution and patient.