If you're researching information related to heart surgery and recovery, you've likely come across mentions of heart pillows (also known as chest or cough pillows). For years, these pillows have been standard issue in many hospitals for patients recovering from heart surgery or sternotomies. The traditional thinking was that heart pillows could provide comfort and support when patients needed to cough, sneeze, or manage pain.
Recovering from heart surgery can be a long and challenging process, particularly during the immediate postoperative period. While some patients experience a relatively smooth recovery, others may encounter complications, such as sternal wound dehiscence—the reopening of the sternal wound.
Complications after heart surgery aren't just bad news for patients—they also impact hospitals. Wound complications in a patient can be devastating financially for hospitals, especially when handling Medicare and co-morbid patients.
The cost to hospitals can range from $13,000 to $100,000 per complication. Then add on the financial penalties that hospitals face for having excessive readmissions according to the 2010 Affordable Care Act. It’s evident that there is a great need to reduce the chances of complications following a patient’s surgery.
The patients who undergo heart surgery are susceptible to a host of complications that can set in during their stay in the hospital. When any of these happen, it can cause enormous problems for the hospital. To keep that from happening, there are a few steps you can take for patients and hospital safety.
One of the most important goals of patients and healthcare providers after surgery is avoiding postoperative complications. After heart surgery, this goal is especially critical given the nature of the operation and recovery and because up to half of patients have a high risk of complications.
After surgery, it's important that patients, physicians, and caregivers strive to avoid readmission. Readmission rates directly affect providers and costs, but they also create different sorts of risks for patients as well. Being readmitted to the hospital after cardiac surgery is also especially stressful for patients.