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Low Socioeconomic Status Is Associated With Increased Complication Rates: Are Risk Adjustment Models Necessary in Cervical Spine Surgery?

ABSTRACT: STUDY DESIGN:Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVES:The objective of this study was to determine whether lower socioeconomic status was associated with increased resource utilization following anterior discectomy and fusion (ACDF). METHODS:The National Inpatient Sample database was queried for patients who underwent a primary, 1- to 2-level ACDF between 2005 and 2014. Trauma, malignancy, infection, and revision surgery were excluded. The top and bottom income quartiles were compared. Demographics, medical comorbidities, length of stay, complications, and hospital cost were compared between patients of top and bottom income quartiles. RESULTS:A total of 69?844 cases were included. The bottom income quartile had a similar mean hospital stay (2.04 vs 1.77 days, P = .412), more complications (2.45% vs 1.77%, P < .001), and a higher mortality rate (0.18% vs 0.11%, P = .016). Multivariate analysis revealed bottom income quartile was an independent risk factor for complications (odds ratio = 1.135, confidence interval = 1.02-1.26). Interestingly, the bottom income quartile experienced lower mean hospital costs ($17?041 vs $17?958, P < .001). CONCLUSION:Patients in the lowest income group experienced more complications even after adjusting for comorbidities. Therefore, risk adjustment models, including socioeconomic status, may be necessary to avoid potential problems with access to orthopedic spine care for this patient population.

SUBMITTER: Lieber AM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7383791 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Low Socioeconomic Status Is Associated With Increased Complication Rates: Are Risk Adjustment Models Necessary in Cervical Spine Surgery?

Lieber Alexander M AM Boniello Anthony J AJ Kerbel Yehuda E YE Petrucelli Philip P Kavuri Venkat V Jakoi Andre A Khalsa Amrit S AS

Global spine journal 20190912 6

<h4>Study design</h4>Retrospective cohort study.<h4>Objectives</h4>The objective of this study was to determine whether lower socioeconomic status was associated with increased resource utilization following anterior discectomy and fusion (ACDF).<h4>Methods</h4>The National Inpatient Sample database was queried for patients who underwent a primary, 1- to 2-level ACDF between 2005 and 2014. Trauma, malignancy, infection, and revision surgery were excluded. The top and bottom income quartiles were ...[more]

PMID: 32707010

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Project description:ImportanceSocioeconomic factors are associated with worse outcomes after hospitalization, but neither the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) nor the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system adjust for socioeconomic factors in profiling hospital mortality.ObjectiveTo evaluate changes in Veterans Affairs medical centers' (VAMCs') risk-standardized mortality rates among veterans hospitalized for heart failure and pneumonia after adjusting for socioeconomic factors.Design, setting, and participantsIn this cross-sectional study, retrospective data were used to assess 131 VAMCs' risk-standardized 30-day mortality rates with or without adjustment for socioeconomic covariates. The study population included 42 892 veterans hospitalized with heart failure and 39 062 veterans hospitalized with pneumonia from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2014. Data were analyzed from March 1, 2019, to April 1, 2020.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was 30-day mortality after admission. Socioeconomic covariates included neighborhood disadvantage, race/ethnicity, homelessness, rurality, nursing home residence, reason for Medicare eligibility, Medicaid and Medicare dual eligibility, and VA priority.ResultsThe study population included 42 892 veterans hospitalized with heart failure (98.2% male; mean [SD] age, 71.9 [11.4] years) and 39 062 veterans hospitalized with pneumonia (96.8% male; mean [SD] age, 71.0 [12.4] years). The addition of socioeconomic factors to the CMS models modestly increased the C statistic from 0.77 (95% CI, 0.77-0.78) to 0.78 (95% CI, 0.78-0.78) for 30-day mortality after heart failure and from 0.73 (95% CI, 0.72-0.73) to 0.74 (95% CI, 0.73-0.74) for 30-day mortality after pneumonia. Mortality rates were highly correlated (Spearman correlations of ≥0.98) in models that included or did not include socioeconomic factors. With the use of the CMS model for heart failure, VAMCs in the lowest quintile had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 6.0% (0.4%), those in the middle 3 quintiles had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 7.2% (0.4%), and those in the highest quintile had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 8.8% (0.6%). After the inclusion of socioeconomic covariates, the adjusted mean (SD) mortality was 6.1% (0.4%) for hospitals in the lowest quintile, 7.2% (0.4%) for those in the middle 3 quintiles, and 8.6% (0.5%) for those in the highest quintile. The mean absolute change in rank after socioeconomic adjustment was 3.0 ranking positions (interquartile range, 1.0-4.0) among hospitals in the highest quintile of mortality after heart failure and 4.4 ranking positions (interquartile range, 1.0-6.0) among VAMCs in the lowest quintile. Similar findings were observed for mortality rankings in pneumonia and after inclusion of clinical covariates.Conclusions and relevanceThis study suggests that adjustments for socioeconomic factors did not meaningfully change VAMCs' risk-adjusted 30-day mortality rates for veterans hospitalized for heart failure and pneumonia. The implications of such adjustments should be examined for other quality measures and health systems.

Project description:BackgroundIn the context of increased attention afforded to hospital efficiency and improved but safe patient throughput, decreasing unnecessary hospital length of stay (LOS) is imperative. Given that lumbar spine procedures may be among a hospital's most profitable services, identifying patients at risk of increased healthcare resource utilization prior to surgery is a valuable opportunity to develop targeted pre- and peri-operative intervention and quality improvement initiatives. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine patient factors that predict prolonged LOS as well as discharge disposition following elective, posterior, lumbar spine surgery.MethodsWe employed a retrospective cohort analysis on 779 consecutive patients treated with lumbar surgery without fusion. Our primary outcome measures were extended LOS (three or more midnights) and discharge disposition. Patient sociodemographic, procedural, and discharge characteristics were adjusted for in our analysis. Sociodemographic variables included Area of Deprivation Index (ADI), a comprehensive metric of socioeconomic status, utilizing income, education, employment, and housing quality based on patient zip code. Multivariable logistic regression and ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to assess whether covariates were independently predictive of extended LOS and discharge disposition, respectively.Results779 patients were studied, with a median age of 66 years (±15) and a median LOS of 1 midnight (range, 1-10 midnights). Patients in the most disadvantaged ADI quintile (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 2.48 95% CI 1.15-5.47), those who underwent a minimally-invasive or tubular retractor surgery (aOR 3.03 95% CI 1.02-8.56), those who had an intra-operative drain placed (aOR 4.46 95% CI 2.53-7.26), who had a cerebrospinal fluid leak (aOR 3.46 95% CI 1.55-7.58), who were discharged anywhere but home (aOR 17.11 95% CI 9.24-33.00), and those who were evaluated by physical therapy (aOR 7.23 95% CI 2.13-45.30) or OT (aOR 2.20 95% CI 1.13-4.22) had a significantly increased chance of an extended LOS. Preoperative opioid use was not associated with an increased LOS following surgery (aOR 1.12 95% CI 0.56-1.46). Extended LOS was not associated with post-discharge emergency department representation or unplanned readmission within 90 days following discharge (p=0.148). Patients who were older (aOR 1.99 95% CI 1.62-2.48), in higher quintiles on ADI (3rd quintile; aOR 1.90 95% CI 1.12-3.23, 4th quintile; aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.05-3.05, 5th quintile; aOR 2.16 95% CI 1.26-3.75), who had a CSF leak (aOR 2.18 95% CI 1.22-3.86), or who had a longer procedure duration (aOR 1.38 95% CI 1.17-1.62) were more likely to require additional services or be sent to a subacute facility upon discharge.ConclusionsPatient sociodemographics, along with procedural factors, and discharge disposition were all associated with an increased likelihood of prolonged LOS and resource intensive discharges following elective lumbar spine surgery. Several of these factors could be reliably identified pre-operatively and may be amenable to targeted preoperative intervention. Improving discharge disposition planning in the peri-operative period may allow for more efficient use of hospitalization and inpatient and post-acute resources.

Project description:Study Design Systematic review. Study Rationale As the length of stay after cervical spine surgery has decreased substantially, the feasibility and safety of outpatient cervical spine surgery come into question. Although minimal length of stay is a targeted metric for quality and costs for medical centers, the safety of outpatient cervical spine surgery has not been clearly defined. Objective The objective of this article is to evaluate the safety of inpatient versus outpatient surgery in the cervical spine for adult patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic degenerative disc disease. Methods A systematic review of the literature was undertaken for articles published through February 19, 2014. Electronic databases and the bibliographies of key articles were searched to identify comparative studies evaluating the safety of inpatient versus outpatient surgery in the cervical spine. Spinal cord stimulation, spinal injections, and diagnostic procedures were excluded. Two independent reviewers assessed the strength of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system, and disagreements were resolved by consensus. Results Five studies that met the inclusion criteria were identified. One study reported low risk of hematoma (0% of outpatients and 1.6% of inpatients). Two studies reported on mortality and both reported no deaths in either group following surgery. Dysphagia risks ranged from 0 to 10% of outpatients and 1.6 to 5% of inpatients, and infection risks ranged from 0 to 1% of outpatients and 2 to 2.8% of inpatients. One study reported that no (0) outpatients were readmitted to the hospital due to a complication, compared with four inpatients (7%). The overall strength of evidence was insufficient for all safety outcomes examined. Conclusion Though the studies in our systematic review did not suggest an increased risk of complication with outpatient cervical spine surgery, the strength of evidence to make a recommendation was insufficient. Further study is needed to more clearly define the role of outpatient cervical spine surgery.

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Low Socioeconomic Status Is Associated With Increased Complication Rates: Are Risk Adjustment Models Necessary in Cervical Spine Surgery?

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Low Socioeconomic Status Is Associated With Increased Complication Rates: Are Risk Adjustment Models Necessary in Cervical Spine Surgery?

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