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Background: The cumulative risk of a false-positive mammogram can be substantial. We studied which variables affect the chance of a false-positive mammogram and estimated cumulative risks over nine sequential mammograms.Methods: We used medical records of 2227 randomly selected women who were 40-69 years of age on July 1, 1983, and had at least one screening mammogram. We used a Bayesian discrete hazard regression model developed for this study to test the effect of patient and radiologic variables on a first false-positive screening and to calculate cumulative risks of a false-positive mammogram.Results: Of 9747 screening mammograms, 6. 5% were false-positive; 23.8% of women experienced at least one false-positive result. After nine mammograms, the risk of a false-positive mammogram was 43.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 36.6%-53.6%). Risk ratios decreased with increasing age and increased with number of breast biopsies, family history of breast cancer, estrogen use, time between screenings, no comparison with previous mammograms, and the radiologist's tendency to call mammograms abnormal. For a woman with highest-risk variables, the estimated risk for a false-positive mammogram at the first and by the ninth mammogram was 98.1% (95% CI = 69.3%-100%) and 100% (95% CI = 99.9%-100%), respectively. A woman with lowest-risk variables had estimated risks of 0.7% (95% CI = 0.2%-1.9%) and 4.6% (95% CI = 1. 1%-12.5%), respectively.Conclusions: The cumulative risk of a false-positive mammogram over time varies substantially, depending on a woman's own risk profile and on several factors related to radiologic screening. By the ninth mammogram, the risk can be as low as 5% for women with low-risk variables and as high as 100% for women with multiple high-risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is little information on the quality of breast self-examination (BSE) and associated outcomes.Method: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 27,421 women enrolled in a Pacific Northwest health plan. We linked responses regarding BSE quality from a questionnaire to subsequent screening and diagnostic efforts.Results: A total of 75% of the women performed BSE. We rated BSE quality as adequate in 27%. Women who reported higher BSE duration, frequency, and quality were more likely to have diagnostic mammograms. Participants ultimately diagnosed with breast cancer (N = 300) were significantly less likely to report performing BSE. Tumor size and stage were not associated with BSE behavior.Conclusion: A high proportion of women perform BSE, but few do so adequately. We found no evidence for benefit of BSE. It is time to ask whether systematic BSE performance should continue to be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown that the agreement among radiologists interpreting a test set of mammograms is relatively low. However, data available from real-world settings are sparse. We studied mammographic examination interpretations by radiologists practicing in a community setting and evaluated whether the variability in false-positive rates could be explained by patient, radiologist, and/or testing characteristics.Methods: We used medical records on randomly selected women aged 40-69 years who had had at least one screening mammographic examination in a community setting between January 1, 1985, and June 30, 1993. Twenty-four radiologists interpreted 8734 screening mammograms from 2169 women. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to examine the impact of patient, radiologist, and testing characteristics. All statistical tests were two-sided.Results: Radiologists varied widely in mammographic examination interpretations, with a mass noted in 0%-7.9%, calcification in 0%-21.3%, and fibrocystic changes in 1.6%-27.8% of mammograms read. False-positive rates ranged from 2.6% to 15.9%. Younger and more recently trained radiologists had higher false-positive rates. Adjustment for patient, radiologist, and testing characteristics narrowed the range of false-positive rates to 3.5%-7.9%. If a woman went to two randomly selected radiologists, her odds, after adjustment, of having a false-positive reading would be 1.5 times greater for the radiologist at higher risk of a false-positive reading, compared with the radiologist at lowest risk (95% highest posterior density interval [similar to a confidence interval] = 1.17 to 2.08).Conclusion: Community radiologists varied widely in their false-positive rates in screening mammograms; this variability range was reduced by half, but not eliminated, after statistical adjustment for patient, radiologist, and testing characteristics. These characteristics need to be considered when evaluating false-positive rates in community mammographic examination screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine racial differences in breast cancer screening in an HMO that provides screening at no cost.Design: Retrospective cohort study of breast cancer screening among African-American and white women. Breast cancer screening information was extracted from computerized medical records.Setting: A large HMO in New England.Patients/participants: White and African-American women (N = 2,072) enrolled for at least 10 years in the HMO.Main Results: Primary care clinicians documented recommending a screening mammogram significantly more often for African Americans than whites (70% vs 64%; P <.001). During the 10-year period, on average, white women obtained more mammograms (4.49 vs 3.93; P <.0001) and clinical breast examinations (5.35 vs 4.92; P <.01) than African-American women. However, a woman's race was no longer a statistically significant predictor of breast cancer screening after adjustment for differences in age, estimated household income, estrogen use, and body mass index (adjusted number of mammograms, 4.47 vs 4.25, P =.17; and adjusted number of clinical breast examinations, 5.35 vs 5. 31, P =.87).Conclusions: In this HMO, African-American and white women obtained breast cancer screening at similar rates. Comparisons with national data showed much higher screening rates in this HMO for both white and African-American women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe and compare trends in hospital admission rates for mechanical neck and back problems between 1982 and 1992 in Ontario and the United States.~Objective~Objective~A descriptive analysis of hospital admissions, with data for Ontario extracted from the Canadian Institute for Health Information database and data for the US extracted from the National Hospital Discharge Survey.~Design~Methods~All acute care hospitals in Ontario and a probability sample of acute care hospitals in the US.~Setting~Methods~Adults aged 20 years or more who were admitted to an acute care hospital for mechanical neck or back problems in 1982, 1987 or 1992. Mechanical neck and back problems were defined using an algorithm developed by the study team.~Patients~Methods~Hospital admission rate per 100,000 adults.~Outcome Measure~Methods~Between 1982 and 1992 the hospital admission rate for medically treated cases decreased by 52% in Ontario and by 75% in the US. Over the same period the admission rate for surgically treated cases increased by 14% and by 35% respectively. By 1992 the admission rate for medically treated cases in the US was 23% higher than that in Ontario, whereas the rate for surgically treated cases was 164% higher.~Results~Results~The hospital-based medical or surgical treatment of mechanical neck and back problems provides an example of discretionary care. The higher admission rates for surgery in the US may reflect a larger supply of surgical specialists and imaging units. Further work is needed to confirm these findings for other types of discretionary care and to compare the appropriateness of care and clinical outcomes for discretionary care in these 2 jurisdictions.~Conclusions~Conclusions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer screening is widely recommended, but often under-utilized. In addition, significant demographic differences in screening utilization exist. Insurance coverage may be one factor influencing utilization of colorectal cancer screening tests. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of claims for outpatient services for Washington state Medicare beneficiaries in calendar year 2000. We determined the proportion of beneficiaries utilizing screening fecal occult blood tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or double contrast barium enema in the overall population and various demographic subgroups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relative odds of screening in different demographic groups. Results Approximately 9.2% of beneficiaries had fecal occult blood tests, 7.2% had any colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or barium enema (invasive) colon tests, and 3.5% had invasive tests for screening indications. Colonoscopy accounted for 41% of all invasive tests for screening indications. Women were more likely to receive fecal occult blood test screening (OR 1.18; 95%CI 1.15, 1.21) and less likely to receive invasive tests for screening indications than men (OR 0.80, 95%CI 0.77, 0.83). Whites were more likely than other racial groups to receive any type of screening. Rural residents were more likely than urban residents to have fecal occult blood tests (OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.17, 1.23) but less likely to receive invasive tests for screening indications (OR 0.89; 95%CI 0.85, 0.93). Conclusion Reported use of fecal occult blood testing remains modest. Overall use of the more invasive tests for screening indications remains essentially unchanged, but there has been a shift toward increased use of screening colonoscopy. Significant demographic differences in screening utilization persist despite consistent insurance coverage.

Objective: To determine the extent to which counting observation stays changes hospital performance on 30-day readmission measures., Methods: This was a retrospective study of inpatient admissions and observation stays among fee-for-service Medicare enrollees in 2017. We generated 3 specifications of 30-day risk-standardized readmissions measures: the hospital-wide readmission (HWR) measure utilized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which captures inpatient readmissions within 30 days of inpatient discharge; an expanded HWR measure, which captures any unplanned hospitalization (inpatient admission or observation stay) within 30 days of inpatient discharge; an all-hospitalization readmission (AHR) measure, which captures any unplanned hospitalization following any hospital discharge (observation stays are included in both the numerator and denominator of the measure). Estimated excess readmissions for hospitals were compared across the 3 measures. High performers were defined as those with a lower-than-expected number of readmissions whereas low performers had higher-than-expected or excess readmissions. Multivariable logistic regression identified hospital characteristics associated with worse performance under the measures that included observation stays., Results: Our sample had 2586 hospitals with 5,749,779 hospitalizations. Observation stays ranged from 0% to 41.7% of total hospitalizations. Mean (SD) readmission rates were 16.6% (5.4) for the HWR, 18.5% (5.7) for the expanded HWR, and 17.9% (5.7) in the all-hospitalization readmission measure. Approximately 1 in 7 hospitals (14.9%) would switch from being classified as a high performer to a low performer or vice-versa if observation stays were fully included in the calculation of readmission rates. Safety-net hospitals and those with a higher propensity to use observation would perform significantly worse., Conclusions: Fully incorporating observation stays in readmission measures would substantially change performance in value-based programs for safety-net hospitals and hospitals with high rates of observation stays., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aligning with Washington State's goal of reducing unnecessary emergency department (ED) use and improving linkage to outpatient primary and behavioral health care, this study evaluated whether an Emergency Department Information Exchange (EDIE) improved linkage to care for Medicaid enrollees with mental health conditions. Follow-up with any physician at 30 days increased slightly, although mental health-specific follow-up declined over time. Difference-in-differences estimates revealed no effect of EDIE on linkage to care after an ED visit. Medicaid beneficiaries with mental health needs and high utilization of the ED likely require additional support to increase timely and appropriate follow-up care.

Importance: Decreases in 30-day readmissions following the implementation of the Medicare Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) have occurred against the backdrop of increasing hospital observation stay use, yet observation stays are not captured in readmission measures., Objective: To examine whether the HRRP was associated with decreases in 30-day readmissions after accounting for observation stays., Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included a 20% sample of inpatient admissions and observation stays among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2015. Data analysis was performed from November 2021 to June 2022. A differences-in-differences analysis assessed changes in 30-day readmissions after the announcement of the HRRP and implementation of penalties for target conditions (heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and pneumonia) vs nontarget conditions under scenarios that excluded and included observation stays., Main Outcomes and Measures: Thirty-day inpatient admissions and observation stays., Results: The study included 8 944 295 hospitalizations (mean [SD] age, 78.7 [8.2] years; 58.6% were female; 1.3% Asian; 10.0% Black; 2.0% Hispanic; 0.5% North American Native; 85.0% White; and 1.2% other or unknown). Observation stays increased from 2.3% to 4.4% (91.3% relative increase) of index hospitalizations among target conditions and 14.1% to 21.3% (51.1% relative increase) of index hospitalizations for nontarget conditions. Readmission rates decreased significantly after the announcement of the HRRP and returned to baseline by the time penalties were implemented for both target and nontarget conditions regardless of whether observation stays were included. When only inpatient hospitalizations were counted, decreasing readmissions accrued into a -1.48 percentage point (95% CI, -1.65 to -1.31 percentage points) absolute reduction in readmission rates by the postpenalty period for target conditions and -1.13 percentage point (95% CI, -1.30 to -0.96 percentage points) absolute reduction in readmission rates by the postpenalty period for nontarget conditions. This reduction corresponded to a statistically significant differential change of -0.35 percentage points (95% CI, -0.59 to -0.11 percentage points). Accounting for observation stays more than halved the absolute decrease in readmission rates for target conditions (-0.66 percentage points; 95% CI, -0.83 to -0.49 percentage points). Nontarget conditions showed an overall greater decrease during the same period (-0.76 percentage points; 95% CI, -0.92 to -0.59 percentage points), corresponding to a differential change in readmission rates of 0.10 percentage points (95% CI, -0.14 to 0.33 percentage points) that was not statistically significant., Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this study suggest that the reduction of readmissions associated with the implementation of the HRRP was smaller than originally reported. More than half of the decrease in readmissions for target conditions appears to be attributable to the reclassification of inpatient admission to observation stays.

Objective: To assess the effects of a program mandating the statewide adoption of an Emergency Department Information Exchange (EDIE) on health care utilization and spending among Medicaid enrollees in Washington state., Data Source: Medicaid claims and managed care encounters from the Washington Health Care Authority., Study Design: A difference-in-differences analysis with trends was used to compare changes in ED visits, inpatient admissions, primary care visits, and expenditures among frequent ED users (≥5 ED visits in past year) to those of infrequent users through the second year Washington's program., Data Extraction: The study population included adult Medicaid enrollees with ED visits between January 2010 and October 2014., Principal Findings: There were 505,667 ED visits among 153,543 unique enrollees included in the analysis. Washington's program was associated with a small, but statistically significant differential change of -0.70 ED visits per enrollee per year (95% CI: -1.24, -0.16) in the first year after EDIE was mandated, or 8.2% of the baseline ED visit rate among frequent users. However, by the second year of implementation, these effects on ED use were no longer significant, nor were there any measurable effects on inpatient admissions, primary care use, or expenditures in any period., Conclusions: Statewide implementation of EDIE was associated with a small reduction in ED use among frequent users in the first year of the program but did not change overall spending or other utilization outcomes., (© 2022 Health Research and Educational Trust.)

Background: Patients with mental illness have been shown to receive lower quality of care and experience worse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes compared to those without mental illness. This present study examined mental health-related disparities in CV outcomes after an Emergency Department (ED) visit for chest pain., Methods: This retrospective cohort included adult Medicaid beneficiaries in Washington state discharged from the ED with a primary diagnosis of unspecified chest pain in 2010-2017. Outcomes for patients with any mental illness (any mental health diagnosis or mental-health specific service use within 1 year of an index ED visit) and serious mental illness (at least two claims (on different dates of service) within 1 year of an index ED visit with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, other psychotic disorder, or major mood disorder) were compared to those of patients without mental illness. Our outcomes of interest were the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) within 30 days and 6 months of discharge of their ED visit, defined as a composite of death, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), CV rehospitalization, or revascularization. Secondary outcomes included cardiovascular diagnostic testing (diagnostic angiography, stress testing, echocardiography, and coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography) rates within 30 days of ED discharge. Only treat-and-release visits were included for outcomes assessment. Hierarchical logistic random effects regression models assessed the association between mental illness and the outcomes of interest, controlling for age, gender, race, ethnicity, Elixhauser comorbidities, and health care use in the past year, as well as fixed year effects., Results: There were 98,812 treat-and-release ED visits in our dataset. At 30 days, enrollees with any mental illness had no differences in rates of MACE (AOR 0.96; 95% CI, 0.72-1.27) or any of the individual components. At 6 months, enrollees with any mental illness (AOR 1.86; 95% CI, 1.11-3.09) and serious mental illness (AOR 2.60; 95% CI 1.33-5.13) were significantly more likely to be hospitalized for a CV condition compared to those without mental illness. Individuals with any mental illness had higher rates of testing at 30 days (AOR 1.16; 95% CI 1.07-1.27)., Conclusion: Patients with mental illness have similar rates of MACE, but higher rates of certain CV outcomes, such as CV hospitalization and diagnostic testing, after an ED visit for chest pain., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lower extremity amputation is common among patients with ESRD, and often portends a poor prognosis. However, little is known about end-of-life care among patients with ESRD who undergo amputation., Methods: We conducted a mortality follow-back study of Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD who died in 2002 through 2014 to analyze patterns of lower extremity amputation in the last year of life compared with a parallel cohort of beneficiaries without ESRD. We also examined the relationship between amputation and end-of-life care among the patients with ESRD., Results: Overall, 8% of 754,777 beneficiaries with ESRD underwent at least one lower extremity amputation in their last year of life compared with 1% of 958,412 beneficiaries without ESRD. Adjusted analyses of patients with ESRD showed that those who had undergone lower extremity amputation were substantially more likely than those who had not to have been admitted to-and to have had prolonged stays in-acute and subacute care settings during their final year of life. Amputation was also associated with a greater likelihood of dying in the hospital, dialysis discontinuation before death, and less time receiving hospice services., Conclusions: Nearly one in ten patients with ESRD undergoes lower extremity amputation in their last year of life. These patients have prolonged stays in acute and subacute health care settings and appear to have limited access to hospice services. These findings likely signal unmet palliative care needs among seriously ill patients with ESRD who undergo amputation as well as opportunities to improve their care., (Copyright © 2019 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Infrequent and late referral to hospice among patients on dialysis likely reflects the impact of a Medicare payment policy that discourages the concurrent receipt of these services, but it may also reflect these patients' less predictable illness trajectories. Among a national cohort of patients on hemodialysis, we identified four distinct spending trajectories during the last year of life that represented markedly different intensities of care. Within the cohort, 9 percent had escalating spending and 13 percent had persistently high spending throughout the last year of life, while 41 percent had relatively low spending with late escalation, and 37 percent had moderate spending with late escalation. Across the four groups, the percentages of patients enrolled in hospice at the time of death were uniformly low ranging from only 19 percent of those with persistently high costs to 21 percent of those with moderate costs and the median number of days spent in hospice during the last year of life was virtually the same (either five or six days). These findings signal the need for greater flexibility in the provision of end-of-life care in this population.

Importance: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are widely used both as a bridge to heart transplant and as destination therapy in advanced heart failure. Although heart failure is common in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), little is known about outcomes after LVAD implantation in this population., Objective: To determine the utilization of and outcomes associated with LVADs in nationally representative cohorts of patients with and without ESRD., Design, Setting and Participants: We described LVAD utilization and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries after ESRD onset (defined as having received maintenance dialysis or a kidney transplant) from 2003 to 2013 based on Medicare claims linked to data from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), a national registry for ESRD. We compared Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD to a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries without ESRD., Exposures: ESRD (vs no ESRD) among patients who underwent LVAD placement., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was survival after LVAD placement., Results: Among the patients with ESRD, the mean age was 58.4 (12.1) years and 62.0% (96) were male. Among those without ESRD, the mean age was 62.2 (12.6) years and 75.1% (196) were male. From 2003 to 2013, 155 Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD (median and interquartile range [IQR] days from ESRD onset to LVAD placement were 1655 days [453-3050 days]) and 261 beneficiaries without ESRD in the Medicare 5% sample received an LVAD. During a median follow-up of 762 days (IQR, 92-3850 days), 127 patients (81.9%) with and 95 (36.4%) without ESRD died. more than half of patients with ESRD (80 [51.6%]) compared with 11 (4%) of those without ESRD died during the index hospitalization. The median time to death was 16 days (IQR 2-447 days) for patients with ESRD compared with 2125 days (IQR, 565-3850 days) for those without ESRD. With adjustment for demographics, comorbidity and time period, patients with ESRD had a markedly increased adjusted risk of death (hazard ratio, 36.3; 95% CI, 15.6-84.5), especially in the first 60 days after LVAD placement., Conclusions and Relevance: Patients with ESRD at the time of LVAD placement had an extremely poor prognosis, with most surviving for less than 3 weeks. This information may be crucial in supporting shared decision-making around treatments for advanced heart failure for patients with ESRD.

Background: Many dialysis patients receive intensive procedures intended to prolong life at the very end of life. However, little is known about trends over time in the use of these procedures. We describe temporal trends in receipt of inpatient intensive procedures during the last 6 months of life among patients treated with maintenance dialysis., Study Design: Mortality follow-back study., Setting & Participants: 649,607 adult Medicare beneficiaries on maintenance dialysis therapy who died in 2000 to 2012., Predictors: Period of death (2000-2003, 2004-2008, or 2009-2012), age at time of death (18-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and ≥85 years), and race/ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic black, or non-Hispanic white)., Outcome: Receipt of an inpatient intensive procedure (defined as invasive mechanical ventilation/intubation, tracheostomy, gastrostomy/jejunostomy tube insertion, enteral or parenteral nutrition, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation) during the last 6 months of life., Results: Overall, 34% of cohort patients received an intensive procedure in the last 6 months of life, increasing from 29% in 2000 to 36% in 2012 (with 2000-2003 as the referent category; adjusted risk ratios [RRs] were 1.06 [95% CI, 1.05-1.07] and 1.10 [95% CI, 1.09-1.12] for 2004-2008 and 2009-2012, respectively). Use of intensive procedures increased more markedly over time in younger versus older patients (comparing 2009-2012 to 2000-2003, adjusted RR was 1.18 [95% CI, 1.15-1.20] for the youngest age group as opposed to 1.00 [95% CI, 0.96-1.04] for the oldest group). Comparing 2009 to 2012 to 2000 to 2003, the use of intensive procedures increased more dramatically for Hispanic patients than for non-Hispanic black or non-Hispanic white patients (adjusted RRs of 1.18 [95% CI, 1.14-1.22], 1.09 [95% CI, 1.07-1.11], and 1.10 [95% CI, 1.08-1.12], respectively)., Limitations: Data sources do not provide insight into reasons for observed trends in the use of intensive procedures., Conclusions: Among patients treated with maintenance dialysis, there is a trend toward more frequent use of intensive procedures at the end of life, especially in younger patients and those of Hispanic ethnicity., (Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Understanding cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) practices and outcomes can help to support advance care planning in patients receiving maintenance dialysis., Objective: To characterize patterns and outcomes of in-hospital CPR in US adults receiving maintenance dialysis., Design, Setting, and Participants: This national retrospective cohort study studied 663,734 Medicare beneficiaries 18 years or older from a comprehensive national registry for end-stage renal disease who initiated maintenance dialysis from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2010., Exposures: Receipt of in-hospital CPR from 91 days after dialysis initiation through the time of death, first kidney transplantation, or end of follow-up on December 31, 2011., Main Outcomes and Measures: Incidence of CPR and survival after the first episode of CPR recorded in Medicare claims during follow-up., Results: The annual incidence of CPR for the overall cohort was 1.4 events per 1000 in-hospital days (95% CI, 1.3-1.4). A total of 21.9% CPR recipients (95% CI, 21.4%-22.3%) survived to hospital discharge, with a median postdischarge survival of 5.0 months (interquartile range, 0.7-16.8 months). Among patients who died in the hospital, 14.9% (95% CI, 14.8%-15.1%) received CPR during their terminal admission. From 2000 to 2011, there was an increase in the incidence of CPR (1.0 events per 1000 in-hospital days; 95% CI, 0.9-1.1; to 1.6 events per 1000 in-hospital days; 95% CI, 1.6-1.7; P for trend <.001), the proportion of CPR recipients who survived to discharge (15.2%; 95% CI, 11.1%-20.5%; to 28%; 95% CI, 26.7%-29.4%; P for trend <.001), and the proportion of in-hospital deaths preceded by CPR (9.5%; 95% CI, 8.4%-10.8%; to 19.8%; 95% CI, 19.2%-20.4%; P for trend <.001), with no substantial change in duration of postdischarge survival., Conclusions and Relevance: Among a national cohort of patients receiving maintenance dialysis, the incidence of CPR was higher and long-term survival worse than reported for other populations.

Background: Colonoscopy outcomes, such as polyp detection or complication rates, may differ by procedure indication., Objectives: To develop methods to classify colonoscopy indications from administrative data, facilitating study of colonoscopy quality and outcomes., Research Design: We linked 14,844 colonoscopy reports from the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative, a national repository of endoscopic reports, to the corresponding Medicare Carrier and Outpatient File claims. Colonoscopy indication was determined from the procedure reports. We developed algorithms using classification and regression trees and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to classify colonoscopy indication. Predictor variables included ICD-9CM and CPT/HCPCS codes present on the colonoscopy claim or in the 12 months prior, patient demographics, and site of colonoscopy service. Algorithms were developed on a training set of 7515 procedures, then validated using a test set of 7329 procedures., Results: Sensitivity was lowest for identifying average-risk screening colonoscopies, varying between 55% and 86% for the different algorithms, but specificity for this indication was consistently over 95%. Sensitivity for diagnostic colonoscopy varied between 77% and 89%, with specificity between 55% and 87%. Algorithms with classification and regression trees with 7 variables or LDA with 10 variables had similar overall accuracy, and generally lower accuracy than the algorithm using LDA with 30 variables., Conclusions: Algorithms using Medicare claims data have moderate sensitivity and specificity for colonoscopy indication, and will be useful for studying colonoscopy quality in this population. Further validation may be needed before use in alternative populations.

Little is known about the circumstances under which older adults initiate chronic dialysis and subsequent outcomes. Using national registry data, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 416,657 Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥67 years who initiated chronic dialysis between January 1995 and December 2008. Our goal was to define the relationship between health care intensity around the time of dialysis initiation and subsequent survival and patterns of hospitalization, use of intensive procedures (mechanical ventilation, feeding tube placement, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation), and discontinuation of dialysis before death. We found that most patients (64.5%) initiated dialysis in the hospital, including 36.6% who were hospitalized for ≥2 weeks and 7.4% who underwent one or more intensive procedures. Compared with patients who initiated dialysis in the outpatient setting, those who received the highest intensity of care at dialysis initiation (those hospitalized ≥2 weeks and receiving at least one intensive procedure) had a shorter median survival (0.7 versus 2.1 years; P<0.001), spent a greater percentage of remaining follow-up time in the hospital (median, 22.9% versus 3.1%; P<0.001), were more likely to undergo subsequent intensive procedures (44.9% versus 26.0%; adjusted hazard ratio, 2.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.27 to 2.39), and were less likely to have discontinued dialysis before death (19.1% versus 26.2%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.72). In conclusion, most older adults initiate chronic dialysis in the hospital. Those who have a prolonged hospital stay and receive other forms of life support around the time of dialysis initiation have limited survival and more intensive patterns of subsequent healthcare utilization.

Importance: The symptomatic benefits of spinal augmentation (vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty) for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures are controversial. Recent population-based studies using medical billing claims have reported significant reductions in mortality with spinal augmentation compared with conservative therapy, but in nonrandomized settings such as these, there is the potential for selection bias to influence results., Objective: To compare major medical outcomes following treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures with spinal augmentation or conservative therapy. Additionally, we evaluate the role of selection bias using preprocedure outcomes and propensity score analysis., Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare claims for the 2002-2006 period. We compared 30-day and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed vertebral fractures treated with spinal augmentation (n = 10,541) or conservative therapy (control group, n = 115,851). Outcomes were compared using traditional multivariate analyses adjusted for patient demographics and comorbid conditions. We also used propensity score matching to select 9017 pairs from the initial groups to compare the same outcomes., Exposures: Spinal augmentation (vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty) or conservative therapy., Main Outcomes and Measures: Mortality, major complications, and health care utilization., Results: Using traditional covariate adjustments, mortality was significantly lower in the augmented group than among controls (5.2% vs 6.7% at 1 year; hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-0.92). However, patients in the augmented group who had not yet undergone augmentation (preprocedure subgroup) had lower rates of medical complications 30 days post fracture than did controls (6.5% vs 9.5%; odds ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.57-0.78), suggesting that the augmented group was less medically ill. After propensity score matching to better account for selection bias, 1-year mortality was not significantly different between the groups. Furthermore, 1-year major medical complications were also similar between the groups, and the augmented group had higher rates of health care utilization, including hospital and intensive care unit admissions and discharges to skilled nursing facilities., Conclusions and Relevance: After accounting for selection bias, spinal augmentation did not improve mortality or major medical outcomes and was associated with greater health care utilization than conservative therapy. Our results also highlight how analyses of claims-based data that do not adequately account for unrecognized confounding can arrive at misleading conclusions.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare claims for 2006-2009., Objective: To examine whether interspinous distraction procedures are used selectively in patients with more advanced age or comorbidity, and whether they are associated with fewer complications, lower costs, and less revision surgery than laminectomy or fusion surgery., Summary of Background Data: A manufacturer-sponsored randomized trial suggested an advantage of interspinous spacer surgery compared with nonsurgical care, but there are few comparisons with other surgical procedures. Furthermore, there are few population-based data evaluating patterns of use of these devices., Methods: We used Medicare inpatient claims data to compare age and comorbidity for patients with spinal stenosis undergoing surgery (n = 99,084) with (1) an interspinous process spacer alone; (2) laminectomy and a spacer; (3) decompression alone; or (4) lumbar fusion (1-2 level). We also compared these 4 groups for cost of surgery and rates of revision surgery, major medical complications, wound complications, mortality, and 30-day readmission rates., Results: Patients who received spacers were older than those undergoing decompression or fusion, but had little evidence of greater comorbidity. Patients receiving a spacer alone had fewer major medical complications than those undergoing decompression or fusion surgery (1.2% vs. 1.8% and 3.3%, respectively), but had higher rates of further inpatient lumbar surgery (16.7% vs. 8.5% for decompression and 9.8% for fusion at 2 yr). Hospital payments for spacer surgery were greater than those for decompression alone but less than for fusion procedures. These associations persisted in multivariate models adjusting for patient age, sex, comorbidity score, and previous hospitalization., Conclusion: Compared with decompression or fusion, interspinous distraction procedures pose a trade-off in outcomes: fewer complications for the index operation, but higher rates of revision surgery. This information should help patients make more informed choices, but further research is needed to define optimal indications for these new devices., Level of Evidence: 4.

Background: For carefully selected patients with lumbar stenosis, decompression surgery is more efficacious than nonoperative treatment. However, some patients undergo repeat surgery, often because of complications, the failure to achieve solid fusion following arthrodesis procedures, or persistent symptoms. We assessed the probability of repeat surgery following operations for the treatment of lumbar stenosis and examined its association with patient age, comorbidity, previous surgery, and the type of surgical procedure., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare claims. The index operation was performed in 2004 (n = 31,543), with follow-up obtained through 2008. Operations were grouped by complexity as decompression alone, simple arthrodesis (one or two disc levels and a single surgical approach), or complex arthrodesis (more than two disc levels or combined anterior and posterior approach). Reoperation rates were calculated for each follow-up year, and the time to reoperation was analyzed with proportional hazards models., Results: The probability of repeat surgery fell with increasing patient age or comorbidity. Aside from age, the strongest predictor was previous lumbar surgery: at four years the reoperation rate was 17.2% among patients who had had lumbar surgery prior to the index operation, compared with 10.6% among those with no prior surgery (p < 0.001). At one year, the reoperation rate for patients who had been managed with decompression alone was slightly higher than that for patients who had been managed with simple arthrodesis, but by four years the rates for these two groups were identical (10.7%) and were lower than the rate for patients who had been managed with complex arthrodesis (13.5%) (p < 0.001). This difference persisted after adjusting for demographic and clinical features (hazard ratio for complex arthrodesis versus decompression 1.56, 95% confidence interval, 1.26 to 1.92). A device-related complication was reported at the time of 29.2% of reoperations following an initial arthrodesis procedure., Conclusions: The likelihood of repeat surgery for spinal stenosis declined with increasing age and comorbidity, perhaps because of concern for greater risks. The strongest clinical predictor of repeat surgery was a lumbar spine operation prior to the index operation. Arthrodeses were not significantly associated with lower rates of repeat surgery after the first postoperative year, and patients who had had complex arthrodeses had the highest rate of reoperations.

Background: Administrative claims data are frequently used for quality measurement., Objective: To examine the accuracy of administrative claims for potential colonoscopy quality measures, including findings (polyp or tumor detection), procedures (biopsy or polypectomy), and incomplete colonoscopy., Design: Cross-sectional study., Patients: Patients age 65 and older undergoing colonoscopy in the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative National Endoscopic Database in 2006. We linked colonoscopy records for these patients to Medicare colonoscopy claims by using patient age, sex, date of procedure, and performing provider's Unique Physician Identification Number., Main Outcome Measurements: Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the Medicare claims for potential quality measures, including colonoscopy findings and procedures., Results: We linked Medicare colonoscopy claims to 15,168 of the 30,011 Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative colonoscopy records. Sensitivity of the claims for colon polyps was 93.4%, with a specificity of 97.8%. Sensitivity of claims for other diagnoses, including colorectal tumors was suboptimal, although specificity was high. In contrast, sensitivity of claims for procedures-biopsy (with or without cautery) or polypectomy-was high (87.2%-97.6%), with specificity >97%. Claims had poor sensitivity for identification of incomplete colonoscopy., Limitations: Potential for inaccurate matching of colonoscopy records and Medicare claims., Conclusions: Medicare claims have high sensitivity and specificity for polyp detection, biopsy, and polypectomy at colonoscopy, but sensitivity is low for other diagnoses such as tumor detection and for incomplete colonoscopy. Caution is needed when using Medicare claims data for certain important quality measures, in particular tumor detection and incomplete colonoscopy., (Copyright © 2011 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Early repeat colonoscopy after an index examination may be justifiable, but may also reflect quality issues during the first examination. The aims of this study were to examine the use of second colonoscopy within 1 year of an index colonoscopy, and to examine patient and provider factors associated with use of early repeat colonoscopy., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using a 20% nationally representative sample of 2003 Medicare claims. Patients aged ≥ 66 years undergoing colonoscopy were included in this study. We identified the use of second colonoscopy and barium enema within 1 year of the index procedure. We used logistic regression analyses to examine the independent predictors of these procedures., Results: We included 328,167 outpatient colonoscopies. In all, 5% had second colonoscopy and 2.2% had barium enema within 1 year of the index examination. Early repeat colonoscopy was more common if the index examination was performed by a family physician (odds ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.23-1.56), general surgeon (odds ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.27) or internist (odds ratio 1.12, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.23) compared with a gastroenterologist, or after colonoscopies by an endoscopist in the lower quartiles of colonoscopy volume compared with endoscopists in the highest quartile. Increasing patient age and comorbidity, polyp detection, biopsy, polyp removal, incomplete index examination, and site of service were also significantly associated with early repeat colonoscopy., Conclusions: Early repeat colonoscopy is not unusual. The association of specialty and colonoscopy volume with early repeat colonoscopy suggests that there are modifiable processes of care or training that may prevent some of these repeat procedures.

This study estimated whether 1990-1997 changes in expenditures per capita of local health departments (LHDs) and percentage share of local public revenue allocated to LHDs were associated inversely with 1990-1997 changes in mortality rates for Black and White racial/ethnic groups in the US. Population was 883 local jurisdictions with 1990 and 1997 mortality rates for Black and White racial populations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder Compressed Mortality File and LHD expenditures from the National Association of County and City Health Officials. Using a time-trend ecologic design, changes in LHD expenditures per capita and percentage share of public revenue were not related to reductions in Black/White disparities in total, all-cause mortality rates. Increased LHD expenditures or percentage share were associated with reduced Black/White disparities for adults aged 15-44 and males. LHD expenditures or percentage share were related to absolute reductions in mortality for infants, Blacks, and White females but did not close Black-White mortality differences for these groups. Therefore, disparities in Black and White mortality rates for subgroups with the greatest mortality gaps may be more likely to be reduced by public investment in local health departments than disparities in Black and White total, all-cause mortality rates., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Colonoscopy is a technically complex procedure commonly performed to detect and remove colorectal pathology. This study examined the influence of provider characteristics on polyp detection, polyp removal, and diagnostic biopsy rates., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using a 20% sample of 2003 Medicare claims. Primary outcome measures were use of diagnostic biopsy, polyp detection, and polyp removal. We used generalized estimating equations to identify independent predictors of the outcomes, adjusting for patient and provider characteristics., Results: Among 328,167 outpatient colonoscopies, polyp detection and removal rates were significantly lower for nongastroenterologists than gastroenterologists, with adjusted relative risk for polyp detection between 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-0.83) for general surgeons and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89-0.98) for internists. Compared with gastroenterologists, diagnostic biopsy was significantly less likely for general (relative risk [RR] 0.69; 95% CI, 0.65-0.74) or colorectal surgeons (RR 0.58; 95% CI, 0.52-0.65). The likelihood of polyp detection and removal was higher for physicians in the middle 2 quartiles of annual colonoscopy volume, but similar for physicians in the highest and lowest volume quartiles. Polyp detection and removal were significantly less likely for examinations in ambulatory surgery centers or offices than hospital outpatient settings, while diagnostic biopsy was significantly less likely in office settings., Conclusions: Physician specialty, annual colonoscopy volume, and site of service are significant predictors of polyp detection, polyp removal, and diagnostic biopsy. These findings may have important implications for the effectiveness of colonoscopy., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Context: In recent decades, the fastest growth in lumbar surgery occurred in older patients with spinal stenosis. Trials indicate that for selected patients, decompressive surgery offers an advantage over nonoperative treatment, but surgeons often recommend more invasive fusion procedures. Comorbidity is common in older patients, so benefits and risks must be carefully weighed in the choice of surgical procedure., Objective: To examine trends in use of different types of stenosis operations and the association of complications and resource use with surgical complexity., Design, Setting, and Patients: Retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare claims for 2002-2007, focusing on 2007 to assess complications and resource use in US hospitals. Operations for Medicare recipients undergoing surgery for lumbar stenosis (n = 32,152 in the first 11 months of 2007) were grouped into 3 gradations of invasiveness: decompression alone, simple fusion (1 or 2 disk levels, single surgical approach), or complex fusion (more than 2 disk levels or combined anterior and posterior approach)., Main Outcome Measures: Rates of the 3 types of surgery, major complications, postoperative mortality, and resource use., Results: Overall, surgical rates declined slightly from 2002-2007, but the rate of complex fusion procedures increased 15-fold, from 1.3 to 19.9 per 100,000 beneficiaries. Life-threatening complications increased with increasing surgical invasiveness, from 2.3% among patients having decompression alone to 5.6% among those having complex fusions. After adjustment for age, comorbidity, previous spine surgery, and other features, the odds ratio (OR) of life-threatening complications for complex fusion compared with decompression alone was 2.95 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.50-3.49). A similar pattern was observed for rehospitalization within 30 days, which occurred for 7.8% of patients undergoing decompression and 13.0% having a complex fusion (adjusted OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.74-2.17). Adjusted mean hospital charges for complex fusion procedures were US $80,888 compared with US $23,724 for decompression alone., Conclusions: Among Medicare recipients, between 2002 and 2007, the frequency of complex fusion procedures for spinal stenosis increased while the frequency of decompression surgery and simple fusions decreased. In 2007, compared with decompression, simple fusion and complex fusion were associated with increased risk of major complications, 30-day mortality, and resource use.

Background: It is unknown whether the rate of survival after in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is improving and which characteristics of patients and hospitals predict survival., Methods: We examined fee-for-service Medicare data from 1992 through 2005 to identify beneficiaries 65 years of age or older who underwent CPR in U.S. hospitals. We examined temporal trends in the incidence of CPR and the rate of survival after CPR, as well as patient- and hospital-level predictors of survival to discharge., Results: We identified 433,985 patients who underwent in-hospital CPR; 18.3% of these patients (95% confidence interval [CI], 18.2 to 18.5) survived to discharge. The rate of survival did not change substantially during the period from 1992 through 2005. The overall incidence of CPR was 2.73 events per 1000 admissions; the incidence was higher among black and other nonwhite patients. The proportion of patients undergoing in-hospital CPR before death increased over time and was higher for nonwhite patients. The survival rate was lower among patients who were men, were older, had more coexisting illnesses, or were admitted from a skilled-nursing facility. The adjusted odds of survival for black patients were 23.6% lower than those for similar white patients (95% CI, 21.2 to 25.9). The association between race and survival was partially explained by hospital effects: black patients were more likely to undergo CPR in hospitals that have lower rates of post-CPR survival. Among patients surviving in-hospital CPR, the proportion of patients discharged home rather than to a health care facility decreased over time., Conclusions: Survival after in-hospital CPR did not improve from 1992 through 2005. The proportion of in-hospital deaths preceded by CPR increased, whereas the proportion of survivors discharged home after undergoing CPR decreased. Black race was associated with higher rates of CPR but lower rates of survival after CPR., (2009 Massachusetts Medical Society)

Study Design: Retrospective cohort., Objective: To describe population-based trends and variations in surgery for degenerative changes of the cervical spine among Medicare beneficiaries, 1992 to 2005., Summary of Background Data: Degenerative changes of the cervical spine are seen radiographically in over half of the population aged 55 years or greater, and rates of cervical spine surgery have increased over time. Prior studies examined anterior cervical discectomy and fusion procedures in the general population up to 1999, and showed regional variations in care, with the highest rates in the South. The purpose of this study is to explore population-based trends and variations in surgery for degenerative changes of the cervical spine in the elderly., Methods: From 1992 to 2005, hospital admissions associated with surgery for degenerative changes of the cervical spine were selected from Medicare Part A using ICD9 CM codes. We excluded beneficiaries under 65 years of age, in a capitated health plan, or enrolled for Social Security Disability Income. Diagnosis and type of surgery were defined using ICD9 CM codes. Rates were directly adjusted to age, sex, and race of 2005 Medicare beneficiaries., Results: Of 156,820 qualifying admissions, 52% were men, 88% were white, and 41% were aged 65 to 69 years. The most common primary diagnosis and procedure were cervical spondylosis with myelopathy (36%) and fusion (70%); of the fusions, 58% were anterior. Rates of cervical fusions rose from 1992 to 2005 even after adjustment for age, sex, and race (14.7 to 45 cervical fusions/100,000 beneficiaries). Rates of cervical fusions varied by geographic location, with the highest rates in the Northwest and South Central regions. In 2005, the highest rate of cervical fusions was 140/100,000 beneficiaries in Idaho, compared with 4/100,000 beneficiaries in Washington, DC., Conclusion: In the elderly, adjusted rates of cervical spine fusions rose 206% from 1992 to 2005. Marked geographic variation was noted. Future studies should evaluate the efficacy and complications associated with these procedures in the elderly, and better define surgical indications and patient outcome.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study using a hospital discharge registry of all nonfederal acute care hospitals in Washington state., Objectives: To determine the cumulative incidence of reoperation following lumbar surgery for degenerative disease and, for specific diagnoses, to compare the frequency of reoperation following fusion with that following decompression alone., Summary of Background Data: Repeat lumbar spine operations are generally undesirable, implying persistent symptoms, progression of degenerative changes, or treatment complications. Compared to decompression alone, spine fusion is commonly viewed as a stabilizing treatment that may reduce the need for additional surgery. However, indications for fusion surgery in degenerative spine disorders remain controversial, and the effects of fusion on reoperation rates are unclear., Methods: Adults who underwent inpatient lumbar surgery for degenerative spine disorders in 1990-1993 (n = 24,882) were identified from International Classification of Diseases ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes and then categorized as having either a lumbar decompression surgery or lumbar fusion surgery. We then compared the subsequent incidence of lumbar spine surgery between these groups., Results: Patients who had surgery in 1990-93 had a 19% cumulative incidence of reoperation during the subsequent 11 years. Patients with spondylolisthesis had a lower cumulative incidence of reoperation after fusion surgery than after decompression alone (17.1% vs. 28.0%, P = 0.002). For other diagnoses combined, the cumulative incidence of reoperation was higher following fusion than following decompression alone (21.5% vs. 18.8%, P = 0.008). After fusion surgery, 62.5% of reoperations were associated with a diagnosis suggesting device complication or pseudarthrosis., Conclusion: Patients should be informed that the likelihood of reoperation following a lumbar spine operation is substantial. For spondylolisthesis, reoperation is less likely following fusion than following decompression alone. For other degenerative spine conditions, the cumulative incidence of reoperation is higher or unimproved after a fusion procedure compared to decompression alone.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort., Objectives: To describe the incidence of complications and mortality associated with surgery for degenerative disease of the cervical spine using population-based data. To evaluate the associations between complications and mortality and age, primary diagnosis and type of surgical procedure., Summary of Background Data: Recent studies have shown an increase in the number of cervical spine surgeries performed for degenerative disease in the United States. However, the associations between complications and mortality and age, primary diagnosis and type of surgical procedure are not well described using population-based data., Methods: We created an algorithm defining degenerative cervical spine disease and associated complications using the International Classification of Diseases-ninth revision Clinical Modification codes. Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we determined the primary diagnoses, surgical procedures, and associated in-hospital complications and mortality from 1992 to 2001., Results: From 1992 to 2001, the Nationwide Inpatient Sample included an estimated 932,009 (0.3%) hospital discharges associated with cervical spine surgery for degenerative disease. The majority of admissions were for herniated disc (56%) and cervical spondylosis with myelopathy (19%). Complications and mortality were more common in the elderly, and after posterior fusions or surgical procedures associated with a primary diagnosis of cervical spondylosis with myelopathy., Conclusions: There are significant differences in outcome associated with age, primary diagnosis, and type of surgical procedure. Administrative databases may underestimate the incidence of complications, but these population-based studies may provide information for comparison with surgical case series and help evaluate rare or severe complications.

Study Design: Sequential cross-sectional study., Objectives: To quantify patterns of outpatient lumbar spine surgery., Summary of Background Data: Outpatient lumbar spine surgery patterns are undocumented., Methods: We used CPT-4 and ICD-9-CM diagnosis/procedure codes to identify lumbar spine operations in 20+ year olds. We combined sample volume estimates from the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS), the National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery (NSAS), and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) with complete case counts from HCUP's State Inpatient Databases (SIDs) and State Ambulatory Surgery Databases (SASDs) for four geographically diverse states. We excluded pregnant patients and those with vertebral fractures, cancer, trauma, or infection. We calculated age- and sex-adjusted rates., Results: Ambulatory cases comprised 4% to 13% of procedures performed from 1994 to 1996 (NHDS/NSAS data), versus 9% to 17% for 1997 to 2000 (SID/SASD data). Discectomies comprised 70% to 90% of outpatient cases. Conversely, proportions of discectomies performed on outpatients rose from 4% in 1994 to 26% in 2000. Outpatient fusions and laminectomies were uncommon. NIS data indicate that nationwide inpatient surgery rates were stable (159 cases/100,000 in 1994 vs. 162/100,000 in 2000). However, combined data from all sources suggest that inpatient and outpatient rates rose from 164 cases/100,000 in 1994 to 201/100,000 in 2000., Conclusions: While inpatient lumbar surgery rates remained relatively stable for 1994 to 2000, outpatient surgery increased over time.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study using national sample administrative data., Objectives: To determine if lumbar fusion rates increased in the 1990s and to compare lumbar fusion rates with those of other major musculoskeletal procedures., Summary of Background Data: Previous studies found that lumbar fusion rates rose more rapidly during the 1980s than did other types of lumbar surgery., Methods: We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1988 through 2001 to examine trends. U.S. Census data were used for calculating age and sex-adjusted population-based rates. We excluded patients with vertebral fractures, cancer, or infection., Results: In 2001, over 122,000 lumbar fusions were performed nationwide for degenerative conditions. This represented a 220% increase from 1990 in fusions per 100,000. The increase accelerated after 1996, when fusion cages were approved. From 1996 to 2001, the number of lumbar fusions increased 113%, compared with 13 to 15% for hip replacement and knee arthroplasty. Rates of lumbar fusion rose most rapidly among patients aged 60 and above. The proportion of lumbar operations involving a fusion increased for all diagnoses., Conclusions: Lumbar fusion rates rose even more rapidly in the 90s than in the 80s. The most rapid increases followed the approval of new surgical implants and were much greater than increases in other major orthopedic procedures. The most rapid increases in fusion rates were among adults aged 60 and above. These increases were not associated with reports of clarified indications or improved efficacy, suggesting a need for better data on the efficacy of various fusion techniques for various indications.

Background: Colorectal cancer screening is widely recommended, but often under-utilized. In addition, significant demographic differences in screening utilization exist. Insurance coverage may be one factor influencing utilization of colorectal cancer screening tests., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of claims for outpatient services for Washington state Medicare beneficiaries in calendar year 2000. We determined the proportion of beneficiaries utilizing screening fecal occult blood tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or double contrast barium enema in the overall population and various demographic subgroups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relative odds of screening in different demographic groups., Results: Approximately 9.2% of beneficiaries had fecal occult blood tests, 7.2% had any colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or barium enema (invasive) colon tests, and 3.5% had invasive tests for screening indications. Colonoscopy accounted for 41% of all invasive tests for screening indications. Women were more likely to receive fecal occult blood test screening (OR 1.18; 95%CI 1.15, 1.21) and less likely to receive invasive tests for screening indications than men (OR 0.80, 95%CI 0.77, 0.83). Whites were more likely than other racial groups to receive any type of screening. Rural residents were more likely than urban residents to have fecal occult blood tests (OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.17, 1.23) but less likely to receive invasive tests for screening indications (OR 0.89; 95%CI 0.85, 0.93)., Conclusion: Reported use of fecal occult blood testing remains modest. Overall use of the more invasive tests for screening indications remains essentially unchanged, but there has been a shift toward increased use of screening colonoscopy. Significant demographic differences in screening utilization persist despite consistent insurance coverage.

Context: Faster magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning has made MRI a potential cost-effective replacement for radiographs for patients with low back pain. However, whether rapid MRI scanning results in better patient outcomes than radiographic evaluation or a cost-effective alternative is unknown., Objective: To determine the clinical and economic consequences of replacing spine radiographs with rapid MRI for primary care patients., Design, Setting, and Patients: Randomized controlled trial of 380 patients aged 18 years or older whose primary physicians had ordered that their low back pain be evaluated by radiographs. The patients were recruited between November 1998 and June 2000 from 1 of 4 imaging centers in the Seattle, Wash, area: a university-based teaching program, a nonuniversity-based teaching program, and 2 private clinics., Intervention: Patients were randomly assigned to receive lumbar spine evaluation by rapid MRI or by radiograph., Main Outcome Measures: Back-related disability measured by the modified Roland questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), pain, preference scores, satisfaction, and costs., Results: At 12 months, primary outcomes of functional disability were obtained from 337 (89%) of the 380 patients enrolled. The mean back-related disability modified Roland score for the 170 patients assigned to the radiograph evaluation group was 8.75 vs 9.34 for the 167 patients assigned the rapid MRI evaluation group (mean difference, -0.59; 95% CI, -1.69 to 0.87). The mean differences in the secondary outcomes were not statistically significant : pain bothersomeness (0.07; 95% CI -0.88 to 1.22), pain frequency (0.12; 95% CI, -0.69 to 1.37), and SF-36 subscales of bodily pain (1.25; 95% CI, -4.46 to 4.96), and physical functioning (2.73, 95% CI -4.09 to 6.22). Ten patients in the rapid MRI group vs 4 in the radiograph group had lumbar spine operations (risk difference, 0.34; 95% CI, -0.06 to 0.73). The rapid MRI strategy had a mean cost of 2380 dollars vs 2059 dollars for the radiograph strategy (mean difference, 321 dollars; 95% CI, -1100 to 458)., Conclusions: Rapid MRIs and radiographs resulted in nearly identical outcomes for primary care patients with low back pain. Although physicians and patients preferred the rapid MRI, substituting rapid MRI for radiographic evaluations in the primary care setting may offer little additional benefit to patients, and it may increase the costs of care because of the increased number of spine operations that patients are likely to undergo.

Objective: To examine racial differences in breast cancer screening in an HMO that provides screening at no cost., Design: Retrospective cohort study of breast cancer screening among African-American and white women. Breast cancer screening information was extracted from computerized medical records., Setting: A large HMO in New England., Patients/participants: White and African-American women (N = 2,072) enrolled for at least 10 years in the HMO., Main Results: Primary care clinicians documented recommending a screening mammogram significantly more often for African Americans than whites (70% vs 64%; P <.001). During the 10-year period, on average, white women obtained more mammograms (4.49 vs 3.93; P <.0001) and clinical breast examinations (5.35 vs 4.92; P <.01) than African-American women. However, a woman's race was no longer a statistically significant predictor of breast cancer screening after adjustment for differences in age, estimated household income, estrogen use, and body mass index (adjusted number of mammograms, 4.47 vs 4.25, P =.17; and adjusted number of clinical breast examinations, 5.35 vs 5. 31, P =.87)., Conclusions: In this HMO, African-American and white women obtained breast cancer screening at similar rates. Comparisons with national data showed much higher screening rates in this HMO for both white and African-American women.

Since the late 1970's, an empirical relationship between the volume of procedures performed by a provider (a hospital or surgeon) and the outcome has been documented for various operations. The present study examines the relationship between the volume of hip replacements performed by surgeons and hospitals and the postoperative rate of complications. A statewide hospital discharge registry was used to identify patients who had had an elective hip replacement between 1988 and 1991. Patients who had had a revision procedure, who had been referred on an emergency basis, or who had had a diagnosis of a fracture or a malignant tumor on admission were excluded. There were 7936 eligible patients who had had 8774 hip replacements. The average annual number of all hip replacements performed from 1987 through 1991 was subsequently determined for each hospital and surgeon who had cared for at least one patient in the study cohort. The rate of operative complications was modeled as a function of the volume of procedures performed by the surgeon or hospital (the surgeon or hospital volume), with adjustment for the age of the patient, gender, co-morbidity, and operative diagnosis. We noted significant differences in the case mix of low-volume providers compared with that of high-volume providers (p < 0.01). In general, surgeons and hospitals with a volume below the fortieth percentile managed patients who had a more adverse risk profile in terms of age, co-morbidity, and diagnosis. Even after adjustment for the case mix, there was a significant relationship between surgeons who averaged fewer than two hip replacements annually (low-volume surgeons) and a worse outcome (p < 0.05). Patients managed by these low-volume surgeons tended to have higher mortality rates, more infections, higher rates of revision operations, and more serious complications during the index hospitalization. The duration of hospitalization was inversely related to surgeon volume and directly associated with hospital volume. Hospital charges were inversely related to hospital volume, even after adjustment for patient-related factors as well as the duration of hospitalization, the year of the operation, and the destination after discharge (p < 0.05). More detailed information is required to investigate the reason for these observed variations in the rates of complications. If future studies confirm an association between low-volume providers and an adverse outcome, performance of some types of elective total hip replacements at regional centers should be considered.

For several years, interest in clinical practice patterns has increased due to concerns about the costs and quality of health care. Our objectives were to examine recent trends and geographic variations in low back pain hospitalization. We analyzed data from a Washington State automated database for 1987-1992. Low back surgery rates in Washington changed little during the study years. In contrast, nonsurgical hospitalization rates fell from 15.5 to 5.1 per 10,000. The proportion of operations involving fusion decreased from 15.8% in 1987 to 11.7% in 1990, and then remained stable. During 1990, important county-to-county variations were observed in surgery rates, nonsurgical hospitalization rates, the proportion of operations involving fusion, and the percentage of surgical patients undergoing reoperation within 3 years. Wide county variations suggest that there may be overutilization or underutilization of low back pain treatments in some geographic areas. A more consistent approach to the management of back problems may benefit patients.