Predictors of Low Patient-Reported Outcomes Response Rates in the California Joint Replacement Registry

Total joint arthroplasty registries are increasingly collecting Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROM) to more directly measure clinical success after surgery. Obtaining these valuable, complete pre- and post-operative surveys is challenging. We sought to identify specific patient or provider characteristics that are associated with low-reporting of PROM surveys in the California Joint Replacement Registry (CJRR). All reported total hip and knee arthroplasties (n = 6861) during 2011–2014 were retrospectively reviewed. PROMs were prospectively collected to determine factors associated with non-participation. The critical factor in predicting ongoing participation post-operatively was the collection of PROM surveys pre-operatively. Specific patient demographics (race, discharge disposition, occurrence of a complication) and surgeon volume were predictive of non-response and are potential targets for increasing reporting rates.