Holscher CM, Weaver ML, Black JH, Abularrage CJ, Lum YW, Reifsnyder T, Zarkowsky DS, Hicks CW. Regional Market Competition is Associated with Aneurysm Diameter at the Time of EVAR.
Ann Vasc Surg 2020;
70:190-196. [PMID:
32736022 DOI:
10.1016/j.avsg.2020.07.011]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Local market competition has been previously associated with more aggressive surgical decision-making. For example, more local competition for organs is associated with acceptance of lower quality kidney offers in transplant surgery. We hypothesized that market competition would be associated with the size of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) at the time of elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).
METHODS
We included all elective EVARs reported in the Vascular Quality Initiative database (2012-2018). Small AAAs were defined as a maximum diameter <5.5 cm in men or <5.0 cm in women. We calculated the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), a measure of physician market concentration (higher HHI = less market competition), for each US census region. Multilevel regression was used to examine the association between the size of AAA at EVAR and HHI, clustering by region.
RESULTS
Of 37,914 EVARs performed, 15,379 (40.6%) were for small AAAs. There was significant variation in proportion of EVARs performed for small AAAs across regions (P < 0.001). The South had both the highest proportion of EVARs for small AAAs (44.2%) as well as the highest market competition (HHI 50), whereas the West had the lowest proportion of EVARs for small AAAs (35.0%) and the lowest market competition (HHI 107). Adjusting for patient characteristics, each 10 unit increase in HHI was associated with a 0.1 mm larger maximum AAA diameter at the time of EVAR (95% CI 0.04-0.24 mm, P = 0.005).
CONCLUSIONS
Physician market concentration is independently associated with AAA diameter at time of elective EVAR. These data suggest that physician decision-making for EVAR is impacted by market competition.
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