Dataset Information

Severe adverse events after cataract surgery among medicare beneficiaries.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To determine rates and risk factors associated with severe postoperative complications after cataract surgery and whether they have been changing over the past decade.

Design

Retrospective longitudinal cohort study.

Participants

A total of 221 594 Medicare beneficiaries who underwent cataract surgery during 1994-2006.

Methods

Beneficiaries were stratified into 3 cohorts: those who underwent initial cataract surgery during 1994-1995, 1999-2000, or 2005-2006. One-year rates of postoperative severe adverse events (endophthalmitis, suprachoroidal hemorrhage, retinal detachment) were determined for each cohort. Cox regression analyses determined the hazard of developing severe adverse events for each cohort with adjustment for demographic factors, ocular and medical conditions, and surgeon case-mix.

Main outcome measures

Time period rates of development of severe postoperative adverse events.

Results

Among the 221 594 individuals who underwent cataract surgery, 0.5% (1086) had at least 1 severe postoperative complication. After adjustment for confounders, individuals who underwent cataract surgery during 1994-1995 had a 21% increased hazard of being diagnosed with a severe postoperative complication (hazard ratio [HR] 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.41) relative to individuals who underwent cataract surgery during 2005-2006. Those who underwent cataract surgery during 1999-2000 had a 20% increased hazard of experiencing a severe complication (HR 1.20; 95% CI, 1.04-1.39) relative to the 2005-2006 cohort. Risk factors associated with severe adverse events include a prior diagnosis of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (HR 1.62; 95% CI, 1.07-2.45) and cataract surgery combined with another intraocular surgical procedure on the same day (HR 2.51; 95% CI, 2.07-3.04). Individuals receiving surgery by surgeons with the case-mix least prone to developing a severe adverse event (HR 0.52; 95% CI, 0.44-0.62) had a 48% reduced hazard of a severe adverse event relative to recipients of cataract surgery performed by surgeons with the case-mix most prone to developing such outcomes.

Conclusions

Rates of sight-threatening adverse events after cataract surgery declined during 1994-2006. Future efforts should be directed to identifying ways to reduce severe adverse events in high-risk groups.

SUBMITTER: Stein JD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3328508 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Severe adverse events after cataract surgery among medicare beneficiaries.

Stein Joshua D JD Grossman Daniel S DS Mundy Kevin M KM Sugar Alan A Sloan Frank A FA

Ophthalmology 20110602 9

<h4>Purpose</h4>To determine rates and risk factors associated with severe postoperative complications after cataract surgery and whether they have been changing over the past decade.<h4>Design</h4>Retrospective longitudinal cohort study.<h4>Participants</h4>A total of 221 594 Medicare beneficiaries who underwent cataract surgery during 1994-2006.<h4>Methods</h4>Beneficiaries were stratified into 3 cohorts: those who underwent initial cataract surgery during 1994-1995, 1999-2000, or 2005-2006. O ...[more]

PMID: 21640382

Similar Datasets

Project description:PurposeDelaying cataract surgery is associated with an increased risk of falls, but whether routine preoperative testing delays cataract surgery long enough to cause clinical harm is unknown. We sought to determine whether the use of routine preoperative testing leads to harm in the form of delayed surgery and falls in Medicare beneficiaries awaiting cataract surgery.DesignRetrospective, observational cohort study using 2006-2014 Medicare claims.ParticipantsMedicare beneficiaries 66+ years of age with a Current Procedural Terminology claim for ocular biometry.MethodsWe measured the mean and median number of days between biometry and cataract surgery, calculated the proportion of patients waiting ≥ 30 days or ≥ 90 days for surgery, and determined the odds of sustaining a fall within 90 days of biometry among patients of high-testing physicians (testing performed in ≥ 75% of their patients) compared with patients of low-testing physicians. We also estimated the number of days of delay attributable to high-testing physicians.Main outcome measuresIncidence of falls occurring between biometry and surgery, odds of falling within 90 days of biometry, and estimated delay associated with physician testing behavior.ResultsOf 248 345 beneficiaries, 16.4% were patients of high-testing physicians. More patients of high-testing physicians waited ≥ 30 days and ≥ 90 days to undergo surgery (31.4% and 8.2% vs. 25.0% and 5.5%, respectively; P < 0.0001 for both). Falls before surgery in patients of high-testing physicians increased by 43% within the 90 days after ocular biometry (1.0% vs. 0.7%; P < 0.0001). The adjusted odds ratio of falling within 90 days of biometry in patients of high-testing physicians versus low-testing physicians was 1.10 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.19; P = 0.008). After adjusting for surgical wait time, the odds ratio decreased to 1.07 (95% CI, 1.00-1.15; P = 0.06). The delay associated with having a high-testing physician was approximately 8 days (estimate, 7.97 days; 95% CI, 6.40-9.55 days; P < 0.0001). Other factors associated with delayed surgery included patient race (non-White), Northeast region, ophthalmologist ≤ 40 years of age, and low surgical volume.ConclusionsOveruse of routine preoperative medical testing by high-testing physicians is associated with delayed surgery and increased falls in cataract patients awaiting surgery.

Project description:ImportanceThere has been insufficient research on the patient harms and costs associated with potential low-value procedures in the US Medicare population.ObjectiveTo report the prevalence of adverse events associated with potential low-value procedures and the additional hospital length of stay (LOS) and costs.Design setting and participantsThis is a retrospective cohort study using Medicare fee-for-service claims between January 2016 to December 2018. Participants were aged 65 years or older. Procedures were selected if they had previously published indicators of low-value care, including knee arthroscopy, spinal fusion, vertebroplasty, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), carotid endarterectomy, renal stenting, and hysterectomy for benign conditions. Analysis was conducted from July to December, 2020.Main outcomes and measuresFor inpatient procedures, the number and rate of admissions with a hospital-acquired condition (HAC) or patient safety indicator event (PSIs), as well as the unadjusted and adjusted difference in mean LOS and Medicare costs between admissions with and without a HAC/PSI. For outpatient procedures, we report the number of claims where the beneficiary had an unplanned hospital admission within seven days and the number of these admissions with a HAC/PSI.ResultsThere were 573 351 patients included in the study, with 617 264 procedures; the mean (SD) age was 74.2 (6.7) years, with 320 637 women (55.9%), and mostly White patients (520 735; 90.8%). Among the 197 755 claims for the inpatient procedures, 231 had an HAC and 1764 had a PSI. Spinal fusion was associated with the most HACs (123 admissions) and PSIs (1015 admissions). Overall, HACs during a PCI admission were associated with the highest adjusted additional mean LOS (17.5 days; 95% CI, 10.3-23.6), with also the highest adjusted additional mean cost ($22 000; 95% CI, $9100-$32 600). There were 419 509 included outpatient procedures, and 7514 (1.8%) had an unplanned admission within 7 days. A total of 17 HACs and PSIs occurred in these admissions.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cross-sectional cohort study of Medicare fee-for-service claims, patients receiving potential low-value care were exposed to risk of unnecessary harm associated with higher cost and LOS.

Project description:Importance:Meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials suggest that the advantages and risks of surgery compared with conservative management as the initial treatment for proximal humerus fracture (PHF) vary, or are heterogeneous across patients. Substantial geographic variation in surgery rates for PHF suggests that the optimal rate of surgery across the population of patients with PHF is unknown. Objective:To use geographic variation in treatment rates to assess the outcomes associated with higher rates of surgery for patients with PHF. Design, Setting, and Participants:This comparative effectiveness research study analyzed all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with proximal humerus fracture in 2011 who were continuously enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B for the 365-day period before and immediately after their index fracture. Data analysis was performed January through June 2019. Exposure:Undergoing 1 of the commonly used surgical procedures in the 60 days after an index fracture diagnosis. Main Outcomes and Measures:Risk-adjusted area surgery ratios were created for each hospital referral region as a measure of local area practice styles. Instrumental variable approaches were used to assess the association between higher surgery rates and adverse events, mortality risk, and cost at 1 year from Medicare's perspective for patients with PHF in 2011. Instrumental variable models were stratified by age, comorbidities, and frailty. Instrumental variable estimates were compared with estimates from risk-adjusted regression models. Results:The final cohort included 72?823 patients (mean [SD] age, 80.0 [7.9] years; 13?958 [19.2%] men). The proportion of patients treated surgically ranged from 1.8% to 33.3% across hospital referral regions in the United States. Compared with conservatively managed patients, surgical patients were younger (mean [SD] age, 80.4 [8.1] years vs 78.0 [7.2] years; P?<?.001) and healthier (Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 0, 14?863 [24.4%] patients vs 3468 [29.1%] patients; Function-Related Indicator score of 0, 20?720 [34.0%] patients vs 4980 [41.8%] patients; P?<?.001 for both), and a larger proportion were women (49?030 [80.5%] patients vs 9835 [82.5%] patients; P?<?.001). Instrumental variable analysis showed that higher rates of surgery were associated with increased total costs ($8913) during the treatment period, increased adverse event rates (a 1-percentage point increase in the surgery rate was associated with a 0.19-percentage point increase in the 1-year adverse event rate; ??=?0.19; 95% CI, 0.09-0.27; P?<?.001), and increased mortality risk (a 1-percentage point increase in the surgery rate was associated with a 0.09-percentage point increase in the 1-year mortality rate; ??=?0.09; 95% CI, 0.04-0.15; P?<?.01). Instrumental variable mortality results were even more striking for older patients and those with higher comorbidity burdens and greater frailty. Risk-adjusted estimates suggested that surgical patients had higher costs (increase of $17?278) and more adverse events (a 1-percentage point increase in the surgery rate was associated with a 0.12-percentage point increase in the 1-year adverse event rate; ??=?0.12; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.13; P?<?.001) but lower risk of mortality after PHF (a 1-percentage point increase in the surgery rate was associated with a 0.01-percentage point decrease in the 1-year mortality rate; ??=?-0.01; 95% CI, -0.015 to -0.005; P?<?.001). Conclusions and Relevance:This study found that higher rates of surgery for treatment of patients with PHF were associated with increased costs, adverse event rates, and risk of mortality. Orthopedic surgeons should be aware of the harms of extending the use of surgery to more clinically vulnerable patient subgroups.

Project description:ImportanceLow-value care is prevalent in the United States, yet little is known about the downstream health care use triggered by low-value services. Measurement of such care cascades is essential to understanding the full consequences of low-value care.ObjectiveTo describe cascades (tests, treatments, visits, hospitalizations, and new diagnoses) after a common low-value service, preoperative electrocardiogram (EKG) for patients undergoing cataract surgery.Design, setting, and participantsObservational cohort study using fee-for-service Medicare claims data from beneficiaries aged 66 years or older without known heart disease who were continuously enrolled between April 1, 2013, and September 30, 2015, and underwent cataract surgery between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015. Data were analyzed from March 12, 2018, to April 9, 2019.ExposuresReceipt of a preoperative EKG. The comparison group included patients who underwent cataract surgery but did not receive a preoperative EKG.Main outcomes and measuresCascade event rates and associated spending in the 90 days after preoperative EKG, or in a matched timeframe for the comparison group. Secondary outcomes were patient, physician, and area-level characteristics associated with experiencing a potential cascade.ResultsAmong 110 183 cataract surgery recipients, 12 408 (11.3%) received a preoperative EKG (65.6% of them were female); of those, 1978 (15.9%) had at least 1 potential cascade event. The comparison group included 97 775 participants (63.1% female). Those who received a preoperative EKG experienced between 5.11 (95% CI, 3.96-6.25) and 10.92 (95% CI, 9.76-12.08) additional events per 100 beneficiaries relative to the comparison group. This included between 2.18 (95% CI, 1.34-3.02) and 7.98 (95% CI, 7.12-8.84) tests, 0.33 (95% CI, 0.19-0.46) treatments, 1.40 (95% CI, 1.18-1.62) new patient cardiology visits, and 1.21 (95% CI, 0.62-1.79) new cardiac diagnoses. Spending for the additional services was up to $565 per Medicare beneficiary (95% CI, $342-$775), or an estimated $35 025 923 annually across all Medicare beneficiaries in addition to the $3 275 712 paid for the preoperative EKGs. Among preoperative EKG recipients, those who were older (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for patients aged 75 to 84 years vs 66 to 74 years old, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.28-1.57), had more chronic conditions (aOR for each additional Elixhauser condition, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.14-1.22), lived in more cardiologist-dense areas (aOR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.09), or had their preoperative EKG performed by a cardiac specialist rather than a primary care physician (aOR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.10-1.43) were more likely to experience a potential cascade.Conclusions and relevanceCare cascades after preoperative EKG for cataract surgery are infrequent but costly. Policy and practice interventions to reduce low-value services and the cascades that follow could yield substantial savings.

Project description:Low-risk elective surgical procedures are common, but there are no clear guidelines for when preoperative consultations are required. Such consultations may therefore represent a substantial discretionary service.To assess temporal trends, explanatory factors, and geographic variation for preoperative consultation in Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cataract surgery, a common low-risk elective procedure.Cohort study using a 5% national random sample of Medicare part B claims data including a cohort of 556,637 patients 66 years or older who underwent cataract surgery from 1995 to 2006. Temporal trends in consultations were evaluated within this entire cohort, whereas explanatory factors and geographic variation were evaluated within the 89,817 individuals who underwent surgery from 2005 to 2006.Separately billed preoperative consultations (performed by family practitioners, general internists, pulmonologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, nurse practitioners, or anesthesiologists) within 42 days before index surgery.The frequency of preoperative consultations increased from 11.3% in 1998 to 18.4% in 2006. Among individuals who underwent surgery in 2005 to 2006, hierarchical logistic regression modeling found several factors to be associated with preoperative consultation, including increased age (75-84 years vs 66-74 years: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.09 [95% CI, 1.04-1.13]), race (African American race vs other: AOR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.65-0.78]), urban residence (urban residence vs isolated rural town: AOR, 1.64 [95% CI, 1.49-1.81]), facility type (outpatient hospital vs ambulatory surgical facility: AOR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.05-1.15]), anesthesia provider (anesthesiologist vs non-medically directed nurse anesthetist: AOR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.10-1.24), and geographic region (Northeast vs South: AOR, 3.09 [95% CI, 2.33-4.10]). The burden of comorbidity was associated with consultation, but the effect size was small (<10%). Variation in frequency of consultation across hospital referral regions was substantial (median [range], 12% [0-69%]), even after accounting for differences in patient-level, anesthesia provider-level, and facility-level characteristics.Between 1995 and 2006, the frequency of preoperative consultation for cataract surgery increased substantially. Referrals for consultation seem to be primarily driven by nonmedical factors, with substantial geographic variation.

Project description:ImportanceA growing proportion of the population is enrolling in Medicare Advantage (MA), which typically offers additional benefits compared with traditional Medicare (TM).ObjectiveTo determine whether frailty and frailty trajectories differ between MA enrollees and TM enrollees.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study used data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2015-2016). Analyses were conducted from August 2023 to March 2024. Participants were community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older.ExposureEnrollment in MA vs TM.Main outcomes and measuresFrailty was calculated by a frailty index (FI) (range, 0-1, with higher values indicating greater frailty) and the Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP) score (range, 0-5, with higher values indicating greater frailty). Physical performance, including Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score (range, 0-12, with higher values indicating better performance), and gait speed (meters per second) were measured. The primary outcome was the difference in FI and FFP scores from the 2015 baseline assessment to the 2016 follow-up assessment. Secondary outcomes include the 1-year changes in SPPB and gait speed.ResultsThe final cohort consisted of 7063 participants (2775 [23.1%] aged >80 years; 4040 [54.7%] female), representing a sample of the 38.8 million beneficiaries. There were 2583 (35.0%) MA enrollees (13.6 million) and 4480 (65.0%) TM enrollees (25.2 million). At baseline, the FI score was similar between MA and TM enrollees (mean [SD], 0.22 [0.15] vs 0.21 [0.14]), although MA enrollees had worse phenotypic frailty (496 participants [15.2%] vs 811 participants [13.7%] considered frail by FFP score), SPPB scores (mean [SD], 6.91 [3.34] vs 7.21 [3.27]), and gait speed (0.79 [0.24] m/s vs 0.82 [0.23] m/s) than TM enrollees. One year later, there were no differences between MA and TM enrollees in the 1-year change in FI score (mean [SD], 0.016 [0.071] vs 0.014 [0.066]; adjusted mean difference, 0.001 [95% CI, -0.004 to 0.005]), FFP score (mean [SD], 0.017 [1.004] vs 0.007 [0.958]; adjusted mean difference, -0.009 [95% CI, -0.067 to 0.049]), SPPB score (mean [SD], -0.144 [2.064] vs -0.211 [1.968]; adjusted mean difference, 0.068 [95% CI, -0.076 to 0.212]), and gait speed (mean [SD], -0.0160 [0.148] m/s vs -0.007 [0.148] m/s; adjusted mean difference, -0.010 m/s [95% CI, -0.067 to 0.049 m/s]).Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries from 2015, MA enrollees experienced similar declines in frailty over 1 year compared with TM enrollees. Future work should examine whether the specific types of services covered by health insurance can impact frailty and health trajectories for older adults.

Dataset Information

Severe adverse events after cataract surgery among medicare beneficiaries.

Purpose

Design

Participants

Methods

Main outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Severe adverse events after cataract surgery among medicare beneficiaries.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets