Length of inpatient stay is decreasing generally. This decreases pressure on acute hospital beds and is believed to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired complications. To bridge the gap between hospital and home, specialist outreach teams are gaining in popularity. However, research evidence supporting outreach schemes, is scant and inconclusive; in particular doubt exists over the safety issues surrounding early discharge. This study compares the rehabilitation of two patient groups (n = 60) following knee replacement. The trial patients were discharged early, supported by an orthopaedic outreach team. The control group remained inpatients for their rehabilitation. Outcomes evaluated were clinical performance of the knee, patient satisfaction and complication rates. The trial group had a significantly better mean function score at 5 days (p = 0.04), but at 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 1 year, movement and function scores between groups showed no significant difference. Both groups continued to improve over the 1-year period. Patients in the trial group expressed greater satisfaction in their care and felt less of a burden to their families than the control group. There was no significant difference in the reported frequency of contact with GPs or in the number of serious complications between the groups. The study indicates that discharging patients at 5 days with specialist outreach support following knee replacement is safe and effective. Patients themselves prefer to convalesce in their own environment.

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