Patient "No-Show" Prior to Elective Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty Increases Risk of Postoperative Anemia.

Background: Patients who "no-show" (NS) clinical appointments are at a higher risk of poor healthcare outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate and characterize the relationship between patient NS prior to primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and 90-day complication risk after THA. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 4147 patients undergoing primary THA. Patients were divided based on whether they NS at least 1 appointment vs always attend (AA) appointments. Information collected included number of NS and attended appointments, demographics, comorbidities, and 90-day postoperative complications. Regression analyses were run to identify relationships between NS status and postoperative outcomes, as well as factors that would predict NS status. Results: Compared to AA patients, NS patients had an increased odds of a postoperative complication (odds ratio:1.3, Conclusions: There was an increased risk for complications, specifically anemia-related complications, in THA patients who NS preoperatively. Demographic factors were independently associated with higher odds of missing a scheduled clinical appointment. The results suggest orthopedic surgeons should consider NS data to pre-emptively assess risk for complications following THA. Level of Evidence: Level III.