1. Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Outpatient Procedure Use Among Medicare Beneficiaries
- Author
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Hollenbeck, Brent K, Dunn, Rodney L, Suskind, Anne M, Zhang, Yun, Hollingsworth, John M, and Birkmeyer, John D
- Subjects
Applied Economics ,Economics ,Health Services and Systems ,Health Sciences ,Human Society ,Policy and Administration ,Health Services ,Clinical Research ,Aged ,Aged ,80 and over ,Ambulatory Surgical Procedures ,Cohort Studies ,Female ,Humans ,Male ,Medicare Part B ,Retrospective Studies ,Surgery Department ,Hospital ,United States ,ambulatory surgery ,utilization ,ambulatory surgery center ,Public Health and Health Services ,Health Policy & Services ,Applied economics ,Health services and systems ,Policy and administration - Abstract
BackgroundThere has been a strong push to move outpatient surgery from hospital settings to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Despite the efficiency advantages of ASCs, many are concerned that these facilities could increase overall utilization.ObjectiveTo assess the impact of ASC opening on rates of outpatient surgery.DesignThis was a retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries undergoing outpatient surgery between 2001 and 2010. We compared population-based rates of outpatient surgery in Hospital Service Areas (HSAs) with freestanding ASCs to those without. After adjusting for differences using multiple propensity score methods, we assessed the impact of ASC opening in an HSA previously without one on rates of outpatient surgery.SubjectsPatients included were Medicare beneficiaries with Part B eligibility.Main outcome measureAdjusted HSA-level rates of outpatient surgery.ResultsAdjusted outpatient surgery rates increased from 2806 to 3940 per 10,000 and the number of ASC operating rooms grew from 7036 to 11,223 (both P
- Published
- 2014