Hospitals and Superutilization.

A small percentage of patients consume most of the health services in the US. These cases of superutilization affect hospitals, but little is known about what it is, the impact on hospitals, or how hospitals can identify potential cases of superutilization. We conducted exploratory research using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) datasets for 2019 to examine superutilization as it relates to hospitals.

The Cost of a Locum: A Simulation to Determine When You Are Paying Too Much for Your Anesthesia Locum Tenens Coverage.

Background: Current research on locum tenens physicians has primarily focused on their safety, reliability, and patient outcomes, leaving a significant gap in understanding the financial implications of their employment in health systems. Amidst a persistent shortage of physicians across specialties, healthcare organizations have increasingly relied on locum tenens to meet the rising demand for clinical services. This study aims to bridge the knowledge gap by evaluating the financial feasibility of employing locum tenens physicians compared to full-time anesthesiologists, given the context of growing physician shortages and increasing healthcare demands.

How are Electronic Health Records Associated with Provider Productivity and Billing in Orthopaedic Surgery?

Background: Electronic health records (EHRs) have become ubiquitous in orthopaedics. Although they offer certain benefits, they have been cited as a factor that can contribute to provider burnout. Little is known about the degree to which EHR adoption is associated with provider and practice characteristics or outpatient and surgical volume.

Trends and Variability in the Use of Total Shoulder Arthroplasty for Medicare Patients.

Introduction: As policies are implemented to encourage high-quality care, it is important to identify any persistent limitations to the uniform delivery of anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). The study's goal was to assess current TSA use and identify predictors of geographic variability.

Methods: We used data from 2012 through 2014 that was obtained from public Medicare databases to identify the case volume, locations, and names of surgeons performing >10 TSAs annually.

Drivers of Medicare Reimbursement for Thoracolumbar Fusion: An Analysis of Data From The Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Study Design: A retrospective observational study.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the variation in thoracolumbar fusion (TLF) payment and determine the drivers of this variation.

Summary Of Background Data: As health care spending continues to increase, variation in surgical procedures reimbursements has come under more scrutiny.

Medicare Reimbursement for Total Joint Arthroplasty: The Driving Forces.

Background: Total joint arthroplasty is a large and growing part of the U.S. Medicare budget, drawing attention to how much providers are paid for their services.

The long-term financial impact of electronic health record implementation.

Objective: To examine the financial impact of electronic health record (EHR) implementation on ambulatory practices.

Methods: We tracked the practice productivity (ie, number of patient visits) and reimbursement of 30 ambulatory practices for 2 years after EHR implementation and compared each practice to their pre-EHR implementation baseline.

Results: Reimbursements significantly increased after EHR implementation even though practice productivity (ie, the number of patient visits) decreased over the 2-year observation period.

Perioperative acupuncture and postoperative acupressure can prevent postoperative vomiting following paediatric tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture and acupressure as supplements to standard treatment for postoperative vomiting in children undergoing tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy.

Methods: A pragmatic, open, block-randomised controlled trial. The results were analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle.

Implementation of acupuncture and acupressure under surgical procedures in children: a pilot study.

Objective: To test the feasibility of research on acupuncture and acupressure for children undergoing tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy.

Methods: During January and February 2008, 20 patients from the ordinary waiting list at Lovisenberg Diakonale Hospital in Oslo were randomised to either acupuncture while under anaesthesia or standard care as control. The authors gave acupuncture at Pericardium 6 (P6) at a depth of approximately 0.