1
|
MiriMoghaddam M, Bohlouli B, Lai H, Ganatra S, Amin M. Healthcare Utilization of Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients in Emergency Department and Outpatient Settings: An 8-year Population-Based Study. Head Neck 2024; 46:1439-1449. [PMID: 38558155 DOI: 10.1002/hed.27753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study aimed to determine trends in the healthcare utilization by Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal cancer patients across emergency department (ED) and outpatient settings in Alberta and examine the predictors of ED visits. METHODS This is a retrospective, population-based, cohort study using administrative data collected by all healthcare facilities between 2010 and 2019 in Alberta, Canada. Trend of visits to different facilities, patients' primary diagnosis, and predictors of ED visits were analyzed. RESULTS In total, 34% of patients had at least one cancer-related ED visit. With a rise of 31% in cancer incidence, there was a notable upswing in visits to outpatient clinics and community offices, while ED visits decreased. Cancer stage, rural residence, high material deprivation score, and treatments were found as predictors of ED visits. CONCLUSION Improved symptom management and better care access for disadvantaged and rural oral cancer patients may decrease avoidable ED visits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masoud MiriMoghaddam
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Babak Bohlouli
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hollis Lai
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Seema Ganatra
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maryam Amin
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Park M, Park EC, Noh H, Jang SI. Impact of Coinsurance Reduction Policy on Healthcare Utilization Among Children Under 15. J Korean Med Sci 2023; 38:e309. [PMID: 37821086 PMCID: PMC10562186 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND On October 1, 2017, a new coinsurance reduction policy for children under 15 was introduced to minimize the lack of inpatient medical services for economic reasons and secure children's access to medical care. METHODS This study analyzes the effect of this coinsurance reduction policy on healthcare utilization using data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort between 2015 and 2019. Groups were classified by 3 case groups and a control group according to age. The dependent variables were inpatient cost, admission, length of hospitalization, outpatient cost and visit, and total cost. The difference-in-differences method was used to examine changes in healthcare utilization among the case and control groups after policy implementation. RESULTS Children of the age group 1-5 exhibited an increase in inpatient services and a decrease in outpatient services. There was a 16.17% increase in inpatient cost, 8.55% increase in inpatient admission, 10.67% increase in inpatient length of hospitalization, -9.14% decline in outpatient cost, and -6.79% decline in outpatient visits. Regarding children in the age groups of 6-10 and 11-15, the effect of the policy was inconclusive. CONCLUSION The reduction in coinsurance rate policy in hospitalization among children has increased inpatient services and reduced outpatient services for 1-5-year-olds-a substitute effect was observed in this group. There is need for further research to examine the long-term effects of the coinsurance reduction policy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Minah Park
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Eun-Cheol Park
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hongin Noh
- Department of Human Systems Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sung-In Jang
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rahim MJ, Ghosh P, Brisendine AE, Yang N, Roddy R, Broughton MJ, Kinzer A, Wingate MS, Sen B. Telehealth utilization barriers among Alabama parents of pediatric patients during COVID-19 outbreak. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:693. [PMID: 37370063 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09732-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telehealth can improve access to evidence-based care at a lower cost for patients, especially those living in underserved and remote areas. The barriers to the widespread adoption of telehealth have been well documented in the literature. However, the barriers may not be the same for pediatric patients, who must rely on their parents or guardians to make healthcare decisions. This paper presents some of the leading barriers parents or guardians of pediatric patients report in using telehealth to meet their children's healthcare needs. METHODS This cross-sectional survey was conducted in a tertiary care pediatric Emergency Department (ED) at a children's hospital in Alabama between September 2020 to December 2020. The parents or guardians of pediatric patients were asked about their reasons for not using telehealth despite having healthcare needs for their children, whether they canceled or rescheduled healthcare provider visits and facility visits, and whether the child's health conditions changed over the past three months. Descriptive analyses were conducted that explored the distribution of telehealth use across the variables listed above. RESULTS Five hundred ninety-seven parents or guardians of pediatric patients participated in the survey, and 578 answered the question of whether they used telehealth or not over the past three months. Of them, 33.1% used telehealth, 54.3% did not, and 12.6% did not have healthcare needs for their child. The leading reason for not using telehealth was that the doctor or health provider did not give them a telehealth option, the second main reason was that they did not know what telehealth is, and the third leading reason was that the parents did not think telehealth would help meet healthcare needs for their child. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the telehealth utilization barriers among underserved pediatric populations, including the need for physicians to proactively offer telehealth options to parents or guardians of pediatric patients. Improving health literacy is of paramount importance, given that a substantial proportion of parents were not familiar with telehealth. Policymakers and healthcare organizations should raise awareness about the benefits of telehealth which can improve healthcare access for underserved pediatric patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Jillur Rahim
- Department of Health Policy & Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Blvd, RPHB 330, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.
| | - Pallavi Ghosh
- School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Anne E Brisendine
- Department of Health Policy & Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Blvd, RPHB 330, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Nianlan Yang
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Ryan Roddy
- School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Mia J Broughton
- School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Alexis Kinzer
- School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Martha Slay Wingate
- Department of Health Policy & Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Blvd, RPHB 330, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Bisakha Sen
- Department of Health Policy & Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Blvd, RPHB 330, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kim MJ, Lee S, Cheong HK, Jang SY, Kim HS, Oh IH. Healthcare Utilization and Costs According to Frailty Transitions After Two Years: A Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. J Korean Med Sci 2023; 38:e191. [PMID: 37337810 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Korea's aging population has raised several challenges, especially concerning healthcare costs. Consequently, this study evaluated the association of frailty transitions with healthcare utilization and costs for older adults aged 70 to 84. METHODS This study linked the frailty status data of the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study to the National Health Insurance Database. We included 2,291 participants who had frailty measured by Fried Frailty phenotype at baseline in 2016-2017 and follow-up in 2018-2019. We conducted a multivariate regression analysis to determine the association between their healthcare utilization and costs by frailty transition groups. RESULTS After 2 years, changes from "pre-frail" to "frail" (Group 6) and "frail" to "pre-frail" (Group 8) were significantly associated with increased inpatient days (P < 0.001), inpatient frequency (P < 0.001), inpatient cost (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively), and total healthcare cost (P < 0.001) than "robust" to "robust" (Group 1) older adults. A transition to frailty from "pre-frail" to "frail" (Group 6) resulted in a $2,339 total healthcare cost increase, and from "frail" to "pre-frail" (Group 8), a $1,605, compared to "robust" to "robust" older adults. CONCLUSION Frailty among community-dwelling older adults is economically relevant. Therefore, it is crucial to study the burden of medical expenses and countermeasures for older adults to not only provide appropriate medical services but also to prevent the decline in their living standards due to medical expenses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moon Jung Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seoyoon Lee
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Social Welfare Policy, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyeon-Kyoung Cheong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Su Yeon Jang
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany
| | - Hee-Sun Kim
- Department of Health Policy Research, National Evidence-Based Healthcare Collaborating Agency, Seoul, Korea.
| | - In-Hwan Oh
- Department of Medicine (AgeTech-Service Convergence Major), Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hawks LC, Walker RJ, Egede LE. Relationship between criminal legal system exposure and health care utilization in US adults with diabetes: A cross-sectional study. J Natl Med Assoc 2023; 115:244-253. [PMID: 36803852 PMCID: PMC10121761 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnma.2023.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Black Americans have a higher prevalence of diabetes compared to White Americans and have higher rates of complications and death. Exposure to the criminal legal system (CLS) is a social risk factor for chronic disease morbidity and mortality with significant overlap with populations most likely to experience poor diabetes outcomes. However, little is known about the association between CLS exposure and healthcare utilization patterns among U.S. adults with diabetes. METHODS Using data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (2015-2018) a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of U.S. adults with diabetes was created. Negative binomial regression was used to test the association between lifetime CLS exposure and three utilization types (emergency department (ED), inpatient, and outpatient) controlling for relevant socio-demographic and clinical covariates. RESULTS Of 11,562 (weighted to represent 25,742,034 individuals) adults with diabetes, 17.1% reported lifetime CLS exposure. In unadjusted analyses, exposure was associated with increased ED (IRR 1.30 95% CI 1.17-1.46) and inpatient utilization (IRR 1.23, 95% CI 1.01-1.50), but not outpatient visits (IRR 0.99 95% CI 0.94-1.04). The association between CLS exposure and ED (IRR 1.02, p=0.70) and inpatient utilization (IRR 1.18, p=0.12) was attenuated in adjusted analyses. Low socioeconomic status, comorbid substance use disorder, and comorbid mental illness were independently associated with health care utilization in this population. CONCLUSIONS Among those with diabetes, lifetime CLS exposure is associated with higher ED and inpatient visits in unadjusted analyses. Adjusting for socioeconomic status and clinical confounders attenuated these relationships, thus more research is needed to understand how CLS exposure interacts with poverty, structural racism, addiction and mental illness to influence health care utilization for adults with diabetes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Hawks
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Rebekah J Walker
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Leonard E Egede
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tan BY, Goh ZZS, Lim CJ, Pereira MJ, Yang SY, Tan KG, Tan ACK, Liang P, Abbott JH, Briggs AM, Hunter DJ, Skou ST, Thumboo J, Car J. Singapore KneE osTeoarthritis CoHort (SKETCH): protocol for a multi-centre prospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2023; 24:104. [PMID: 36750930 PMCID: PMC9903549 DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06207-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of global disability. The understanding of the role of psychosocial factors in knee OA outcomes is still evolving particularly in an Asian context. The primary aim of this study is to explore psychosocial factors that prognosticate short and long-term clinical outcomes, productivity, and healthcare utilization in patients with knee OA. Secondary aims are to explore the mediation and directional relationships and the role it plays in predicting the discordance between self-reported measures (SRM), physical-performance measures (PPMs) and objective clinical parameters. METHODS A multi-centre prospective cohort study of community ambulant knee OA patients seeking treatment in the tertiary healthcare institutions in Singapore will be conducted. Patients with secondary arthritis, significant cognitive impairment, severe medical comorbidities or previous knee arthroplasty will be excluded. Primary clinical outcome measure is the Knee injury and OA Outcome Score-12 (KOOS-12). Baseline characteristics include sociodemographic status, arthritis status including symptom duration and radiographic severity, comorbidities and functional status through Charlson Comorbidities Index (CCI), Barthel Index (BI) and Parker Mobility Score (PMS). Psychosocial variables include social support, kinesiophobia, negative affect, self-efficacy, injustice, chronic illness shame and the built environment. Clinical outcomes include quality of life, physical performance, global assessment, satisfaction and physical activity levels. Productivity and healthcare utilization will be assessed by a modified OA Cost and Consequences Questionnaire (OCC-Q) and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI). Variables will be collected at baseline, 4, 12 months and yearly thereafter. Regression, mediation and structural equation modelling will be used for analysis. DISCUSSION Results will allow contextualization, identification, and phenotyping of the critical (and potentially modifiable) psychosocial parameters that predict positive clinical outcomes in the OA population to guide optimization and refinement of healthcare and community. This will facilitate: 1. identification of high-risk knee OA subpopulations that will likely experience poor outcomes and 2. formulation of targeted multidisciplinary comprehensive approaches to address these psychosocial factors to optimize non-surgical treatment care, maximize functional outcomes and create more value-based care model for knee OA. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study has been registered under clinicaltrials.gov registry (Identifier: NCT04942236).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Yijia Tan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Woodlands Health, Singapore, Singapore. .,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore. .,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Woodlands Health, National Healthcare Group, Singapore, Singapore.
| | | | - Chien Joo Lim
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Woodlands Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michelle Jessica Pereira
- grid.466910.c0000 0004 0451 6215Health Services Outcome Research, National Healthcare Group, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Su-Yin Yang
- Psychology Service, Woodlands Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kelvin Guoping Tan
- grid.240988.f0000 0001 0298 8161Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alvin Chin Kwong Tan
- grid.415203.10000 0004 0451 6370Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Phyllis Liang
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Rehabilitation Research Institute of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - J. Haxby Abbott
- grid.29980.3a0000 0004 1936 7830Centre for Musculoskeletal Outcomes Research, Department of Surgical Sciences, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Andrew M. Briggs
- grid.1032.00000 0004 0375 4078Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin School of Allied Health and Curtin enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA Australia
| | - David J. Hunter
- grid.412703.30000 0004 0587 9093Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney and Rheumatology Department, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Soren T. Skou
- grid.10825.3e0000 0001 0728 0170Research Unit for Musculoskeletal Function and Physiotherapy, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark ,grid.512922.fThe Research Unit PROgrez, Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Næstved-Slagelse-Ringsted Hospitals, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Julian Thumboo
- grid.163555.10000 0000 9486 5048Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.428397.30000 0004 0385 0924Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Josip Car
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Koumpias AM, Schwartzman D, Fleming O. Long-haul COVID: healthcare utilization and medical expenditures 6 months post-diagnosis. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1010. [PMID: 35941617 PMCID: PMC9358916 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08387-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite extensive evidence that COVID-19 symptoms may persist for up to a year, their long-term implications for healthcare utilization and costs 6 months post-diagnosis remain relatively unexplored. We examine patient-level association of COVID-19 diagnosis association of COVID-19 diagnosis with average monthly healthcare utilization and medical expenditures for up to 6 months, explore heterogeneity across age groups and determine for how many months post-diagnosis healthcare utilization and costs of COVID-19 patients persist above pre-diagnosis levels. Methods This population-based retrospective cohort study followed COVID-19 patients’ healthcare utilization and costs from January 2019 through March 2021 using claims data provided by the COVID-19 Research Database. The patient population includes 250,514 individuals infected with COVID-19 during March-September 2020 and whose last recorded claim was not hospitalization with severe symptoms. We measure the monthly number and costs of total visits and by telemedicine, preventive, urgent care, emergency, immunization, cardiology, inpatient or surgical services and established patient or new patient visits. Results The mean (SD) total number of monthly visits and costs pre-diagnosis were .4783 (4.0839) and 128.06 (1182.78) dollars compared with 1.2078 (8.4962) visits and 351.67 (2473.63) dollars post-diagnosis. COVID-19 diagnosis associated with .7269 (95% CI, 0.7088 to 0.7449 visits; P < .001) more total healthcare visits and an additional $223.60 (95% CI, 218.34 to 228.85; P < .001) in monthly costs. Excess monthly utilization and costs for individuals 17 years old and under subside after 5 months to .070 visits and $2.77, persist at substantial levels for all other groups and most pronounced among individuals age 45–64 (.207 visits and $73.43) and 65 years or older (.133 visits and $60.49). Conclusions This study found that COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with increased healthcare utilization and costs over a six-month post-diagnosis period. These findings imply a prolonged burden to the US healthcare system from medical encounters of COVID-19 patients and increased spending. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08387-3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonios M Koumpias
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, USA
| | - David Schwartzman
- Olin College of Business, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
| | - Owen Fleming
- Department of Economics, Wayne State University, 656 W. Kirby St FAB 2140, Detroit, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mathews SC, Izmailyan S, Brito FA, Yamal JM, Mikhail O, Revere FL. Prevalence and Financial Burden of Digestive Diseases in a Commercially Insured Population. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 20:1480-1487.e7. [PMID: 34217877 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2021.06.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Digestive diseases represent a diverse group of clinical conditions that impact the population. Their heterogeneity in classification, presentation, acuity, chronicity, and need for drug therapy presents a challenge when comparing and contrasting the burden associated with these conditions. Prior studies use an outdated classification system and aggregate costs at the population level or focus on specific diseases, limiting the ability to characterize the overall landscape. Our aim was to provide the most up-to-date assessment of cost, utilization, and prevalence associated with digestive diseases. METHODS We examined digestive disease claims and payment data for a commercially insured adult population between 2016 and 2018 to provide a comprehensive summary of costs, utilization, and prevalence across 38 conditions. Outcome variables included point prevalence and relative prevalence, annualized all-cause medical and drug costs, digestive disease-specific average medical cost, digestive disease-specific cost per fill, and utilization by clinical setting and by clinical condition. RESULTS A total of 7,297,435 individuals with a digestive disease diagnosis were included in the study. The point prevalence of having a digestive disease in the total population was 24%. Annualized total costs by clinical category ranged from $10,038 (eosinophilic esophagitis) to $107,007 (hepatitis C), with medical costs accounting for most of the expenditures in a majority of conditions. Annualized total costs for common conditions included $39,653 for alcoholic liver disease, $42,554 for acute pancreatitis, $62,735 for Crohn's disease, $13,948 for functional gastrointestinal disorders, $53,214 for nonalcoholic cirrhosis, and $36,441 for ulcerative colitis. Average cost of inpatient stays ranged from $12,218 (noninfectious gastroenteritis/colitis) to $78,259 (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis). Outpatient visits ranged from $784 (gastrointestinal infection) to $4629 (gallbladder and biliary tract disease). Average drug cost per fill ranged from $83 (gastroesophageal reflux disease) to $1458 (hepatitis C). A total of 27,429,046 clinical encounters occurred across all conditions during the study period, with 90% taking place as outpatient visits. Abdominal pain was the single largest contributor to outpatient visits and emergency department to home encounters. Inpatient stays were considerably more heterogeneous, with no condition accounting for more than 12% (gallbladder and biliary tract disease) of the total. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate digestive diseases are common, heterogeneous in cost and utilization, and collectively exact a significant financial burden on the U.S. adult population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon C Mathews
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baltimore, Maryland.
| | - Sergey Izmailyan
- University of Texas School of Public Health, Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Frances A Brito
- University of Texas School of Public Health, Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Jose-Miguel Yamal
- University of Texas School of Public Health, Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Osama Mikhail
- University of Texas School of Public Health, Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Frances L Revere
- University of Texas School of Public Health, Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Swanson KM, Matulis JC, McCoy RG. Association between primary care appointment lengths and subsequent ambulatory reassessment, emergency department care, and hospitalization: a cohort study. BMC Prim Care 2022; 23:39. [PMID: 35249539 PMCID: PMC8900401 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-022-01644-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Background To meet increasing demand, healthcare systems may leverage shorter appointment lengths to compensate for a limited supply of primary care providers (PCPs). Limiting the time spent with patients when evaluating acute health needs may adversely affect quality of care and increase subsequent healthcare utilization; however, the impact of brief duration appointments on healthcare utilization in the United States has not been examined. This study aimed to assess for potential inferiority of shorter (15-min) primary care appointments compare to longer (≥ 30-min appointments) with respect to downstream healthcare utilization within 7 days of the initial appointment. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study using electronic health record (EHR), billing, and administrative scheduling data from five primary care practices in Midwest United States. Adult patients seen for acute Evaluation & Management visits between 10/1/2015 and 9/30/2017 were included. Patients scheduled for 15-min appointments were propensity score matched to those scheduled for ≥ 30-min. Multivariate regression models examined the effects of appointment length on repeat primary care visits, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and diagnostic services within 7 days following the visit. Models were adjusted for baseline patient, visit, and provider characteristics. A non-inferiority approach was employed. Results We identified 173,758 total index visits (6.5% 15-min, 93.5% ≥ 30-min). 11,222 15-min appointments were matched to a comparable ≥ 30-min visit. Longer appointments were more frequent among trainee physicians, patients with limited English proficiency, and patients with more comorbidities. There was no significant effect of scheduled appointment length on the incidence of repeat primary care visits (OR = 0.983, CI: 0.873, 1.106) or ED visits (OR = 0.856, CI: 0.700, 1.047). Shorter appointments were associated with lower rates of subsequent hospitalizations (OR = 0.689, CI: 0.504, 0.941), laboratory services (OR = 0.682, CI: 0.643, 0.724), and diagnostic imaging services (OR = 0.499, CI: 0.466, 0.534). None of the non-inferiority thresholds were exceeded. Conclusions For select indications and select low risk patients, shorter duration appointments may be a non-inferior option for scheduling of patient care that will not result in greater downstream healthcare utilization. These findings can help inform healthcare delivery models and triage processes as health systems and payers re-examine how to best deliver care to growing patient populations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-022-01644-8.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristi M Swanson
- Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA.
| | - John C Matulis
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | - Rozalina G McCoy
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA.,Division of Health Care Delivery Research, Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Solomon GM, Bailey J, Lawlor J, Scalia P, Sawicki GS, Dowd C, Sabadosa KA, Van Citters A. Patient and family experience of telehealth care delivery as part of the CF chronic care model early in the COVID-19 pandemic. J Cyst Fibros 2021; 20 Suppl 3:41-46. [PMID: 34930542 PMCID: PMC8683126 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcf.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, CF centers shifted to a telehealth delivery model. Our study aimed to determine how people with CF (PwCF) and their families experienced telehealth and assessed its quality and acceptability for future CF care. Methods The CF Patient and Family State of Care Survey (PFSoC) was fielded from August 31-October 30, 2020. The PFSoC explored themes of overall telehealth quality, ease of use, desirability, and preference for a future mix of in-person and telehealth care. Demographic covariates considered included: gender, age, CFTR modulator status, and region of residence. Results 424 PwCF and parents of PwCF responded (47% parents). Most (81%) reported a telehealth visit which included a MD/APP and nurse team members. 91% found telehealth easy to use, and 66% reported similar/higher quality than in-person care. One-third (34%) reported the highest desire for future telehealth care, with 45% (n =212) desiring 50% or more of visits conducted via telehealth. Adults were more likely than parents to report highest desire for future telehealth (64% vs. 36%). Respondents who perceived telehealth as similar/higher quality were more likely to desire future telehealth compared to those who perceived telehealth as lower quality (96% vs. 50%). Mixed methods analysis revealed themes affecting perceptions of telehealth. Conclusions PwCF desire for future telehealth was influenced by perception of quality and age. Several themes emerged that need to be explored as telehealth is adapted into the CF chronic care model, especially when thinking about integration into pediatric care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George M Solomon
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1900 University Blvd THT 422, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States.
| | - Julianna Bailey
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1900 University Blvd THT 422, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - James Lawlor
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1900 University Blvd THT 422, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Peter Scalia
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Williamson Translational Research Building, Level 5, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03766, United States
| | - Gregory S Sawicki
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Christopher Dowd
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 1100N, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States
| | - Kathryn A Sabadosa
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 1100N, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States
| | - Aricca Van Citters
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Williamson Translational Research Building, Level 5, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03766, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sprott RA, Randall A, Smith K, Woo L. Rates of Injury and Healthcare Utilization for Kink-Identified Patients. J Sex Med 2021; 18:1721-1734. [PMID: 37057495 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kink-involved people engage in atypical erotic activities such as bondage, rough sex, and other fetish activities that might risk injury or medical complication. To date, however, no one has examined the rate of injury or healthcare utilization for people who engage in these activities. AIM To describe the type and rate of injuries from kink activities, and the use of healthcare by kink-involved people, including how many people disclose their involvement in kink when seeking care. METHODS A survey of 1,398 kink-involved or kink-identified people, using a convenience sampling method. OUTCOMES The study is the first to report on rates of injury and disclosure of kink involvement to care providers using a large community sample of kink-involved people. RESULTS A high number of participants did not disclose their kink behavior to their physical healthcare clinician (58.3%) or to their mental healthcare clinician (49.6%). Past experiences of kink-related injuries were relatively common (13.5%), as was the number of people who reported delaying or avoiding healthcare because of anticipated or perceived stigma for kink involvement (19.0%). CLINICAL TRANSLATION The findings of the current study point to the need for clinicians to address barriers to culturally competent care for kink-involved people. Anticipated stigma leads to non-disclosure of kink involvement and delay in seeking care, thereby creating barriers to health and well-being. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS Strengths include a sample size large enough to examine regression models to predict disclosure to care providers, and lifetime rates of injury from kink activities overall. Limitations include the use of a convenience sampling method and self-report survey design, which affect the generalizability of the results. CONCLUSION The patterns of anticipated stigma, delay or avoidance of care, and concealment of kink and/or BDSM involvement fit the Minority Stress Model, and we argue that kink-identified people should be considered a sexual minority for the purposes of healthcare. Sprott RA, Randall A, Smith K et al. Rates of Injury and Healthcare Utilization for Kink-Identified Patients. J Sex Med 2021;18:1721-1734.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Randall
- The Alternative Sexualities Health Research Alliance, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Smith
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lauren Woo
- University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Singh P, Lee HN, Rangan V, Ballou S, Lembo J, Katon J, McMahon C, Friedlander D, Iturrino J, Nee J, Lembo A. Similarities in Clinical and Psychosocial Characteristics of Functional Diarrhea and Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Diarrhea. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 18:399-405.e1. [PMID: 31442602 PMCID: PMC6962545 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2019.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS There have been few published studies of clinical and psychological characteristics of patients with functional diarrhea (FDr). We studied the clinical and psychological characteristics of patients with FDr presenting to a tertiary care clinic, and compared symptom profiles of FDr with those of IBS-diarrhea (IBS-D). METHODS Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of FDr (n = 48) or IBS-D (n = 49), per Rome IV criteria, completed a detailed symptom survey from October 2017 through July 2018. Abdominal pain and diarrhea severity were assessed using patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) questionnaires. Patients with anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbances were identified based on PROMIS T-score of 60 or more. Mean and proportions were compared using the Student t test and chi-square analyses, respectively. RESULTS A significantly lower proportion of patients with FDr reported abdominal pain (77.1%) than patients with IBS-D (100%, P < .001). The proportion of patients reporting abdominal bloating and level of severity did not differ significantly between groups. Proportions of bowel movements with diarrhea did not differ significantly between groups (P = .54), but the mean diarrhea PROMIS T-score was significantly higher among patients with IBS-D (P = .03). This difference resulted from the significantly higher levels of fecal urgency-related distress reported by patients with IBS-D (P = .007). Proportions of patients with anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbance, and their severities, did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS In an analysis of about 100 patients with FDr or IBS-D, we found overlap in gastrointestinal and psychosomatic symptoms. These 2 entities appear to be a continuum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Singh
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ha-Neul Lee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vikram Rangan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Ballou
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Lembo
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Katon
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Courtney McMahon
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Friedlander
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Johanna Iturrino
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judy Nee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anthony Lembo
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Williams JA, Buxton O, Hinde J, Bray J, Berkman L. Psychosocial Workplace Factors and Healthcare Utilization: A Study of Two Employers. Int J Health Policy Manag 2018; 7:614-622. [PMID: 29996581 PMCID: PMC6037501 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2017.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: While a large literature links psychosocial workplace factors with health and health behaviors, there is very little work connecting psychosocial workplace factors to healthcare utilization.
Methods: Survey data were collected from two different employers using computer-assisted telephone interviewing as a part of the Work-Family Health Network (2008-2013): one in the information technology (IT) service industry and one that is responsible for a network of long-term care (LTC) facilities. Participants were surveyed four times at six month intervals. Responses in each wave were used to predict utilization in the following wave. Four utilization measures were outcomes: having at least one emergency room (ER)/Urgent care, having at least one other healthcare visit, number of ER/urgent care visits, and number of other healthcare visits. Population-averaged models using all four waves controlled for health and other factors associated with utilization.
Results: Having above median job demands was positively related to the odds of at least one healthcare visit, odds ratio [OR] 1.37 (P<.01), and the number of healthcare visits, incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.36 (P<.05), in the LTC sample. Work-to-family conflict was positively associated with the odds of at least one ER/urgent care visit in the LTC sample, OR 1.15 (P<.05), at least one healthcare visit in the IT sample, OR 1.35 (P<.01), and with more visits in the IT sample, IRR 1.35 (P<.01). Greater schedule control was associated with reductions in the number of ER/urgent care visits, IRR 0.71 (P<.05), in the IT sample.
Conclusion: Controlling for other factors, some psychosocial workplace factors were associated with future healthcare utilization. Additional research is needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Allia Williams
- Harvard Center for Population & Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, USA.,The University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Health Policy and Management, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Orfeu Buxton
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA.,Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Hinde
- Department of Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Jeremy Bray
- Department of Economics, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Lisa Berkman
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kim JR, Jeong B, Park KS, Kang YS. Associations of Generalized Trust and Social Participation at the Individual Level with Unmet Healthcare Needs in Communities with High Mortality. J Korean Med Sci 2018; 33:e84. [PMID: 29495134 PMCID: PMC5835583 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2018.33.e84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate whether generalized trust and/or social participation at an individual level have negative associations with unmet healthcare needs. METHODS Door-to-door interviews were conducted by trained interviewers to collect information. The 8,800 study participants included 220 adults sampled systematically using the resident registration database from 40 sub-municipal-level administrative units in Korea. Unmet healthcare needs were measured subjectively by the following question: "During the past 12 months, was there ever a time when you felt that you needed healthcare (excluding dental care) but did not receive it?" The responses were classified as either "yes" or "no." RESULTS The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for unmet healthcare needs based on one positive response, two positive responses, and three positive responses to the three items of generalized trust compared to no positive responses were 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-1.09), 0.90 (95% CI, 0.74-1.09), and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.61-0.87), respectively. The adjusted ORs for unmet healthcare needs based on social participation only in informal organizations, only in formal organizations, and in both informal and formal organizations compared to no social participation were 0.83 (95% CI, 0.71-0.98), 0.97 (95% CI, 0.77-1.21), and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.82-1.15), respectively. The covariates included in the multiple logistic regression were sociodemographic variables (gender, age, marital status, educational level, occupation, food security, and administrative unit), self-rated health, and perceived stress. CONCLUSION Therefore, generalized trust and social participation in informal organizations can decrease the incidence of unmet healthcare needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jang Rak Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.
| | - Baekgeun Jeong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
| | - Ki Soo Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
| | - Yune Sik Kang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
We introduce a modeling approach for characterizing heterogeneity in healthcare utilization using massive medical claims data. We first translate the medical claims observed for a large study population and across five years into individual-level discrete events of care called utilization sequences. We model the utilization sequences using an exponential proportional hazards mixture model to capture heterogeneous behaviors in patients' healthcare utilization. The objective is to cluster patients according to their longitudinal utilization behaviors and to determine the main drivers of variation in healthcare utilization while controlling for the demographic, geographic, and health characteristics of the patients. Due to the computational infeasibility of fitting a parametric proportional hazards model for high-dimensional, large sample size data we use an iterative one-step procedure to estimate the model parameters and impute the cluster membership. The approach is used to draw inferences on utilization behaviors of children in the Medicaid system with persistent asthma across six states. We conclude with policy implications for targeted interventions to improve adherence to recommended care practices for pediatric asthma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ross P Hilton
- H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
| | - Yuchen Zheng
- H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
| | - Nicoleta Serban
- H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Duku SKO, Asenso-Boadi F, Nketiah-Amponsah E, Arhinful DK. Utilization of healthcare services and renewal of health insurance membership: evidence of adverse selection in Ghana. Health Econ Rev 2016; 6:43. [PMID: 27624462 PMCID: PMC5021654 DOI: 10.1186/s13561-016-0122-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Utilization of healthcare in Ghana's novel National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has been increasing since inception with associated high claims bill which threatens the scheme's financial sustainability. This paper investigates the presence of adverse selection by assessing the effect of healthcare utilization and frequency of use on NHIS renewal. METHOD Routine enrolment and utilization data from 2008 to 2013 in two regions in Ghana was analyzed. Pearson Chi-square test was performed to test if the proportion of insured who utilize healthcare in a particular year and renew membership the following year is significantly different from those who utilize healthcare and drop-out. Logistic regressions were estimated to examine the relationship between healthcare utilization and frequency of use in previous year and NHIS renewal in current year. RESULTS We found evidence suggestive of the presence of adverse selection in the NHIS. Majority of insured who utilized healthcare renewed their membership whiles most of those who did not utilize healthcare dropped out. The likelihood of renewal was significantly higher for those who utilize healthcare than those who did not and also higher for those who make more health facility visits. CONCLUSION The NHIS claims bill is high because high risk individuals who self-select into the scheme makes more health facility visits and creates financial sustainability problems. Policy makers should adopt pragmatic ways of enforcing mandatory enrolment so that low risk individuals remain enrolled; and sustainable ways of increasing revenue whiles ensuring that the societal objectives of the scheme are not compromised.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Kwasi Opoku Duku
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Free University of Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana
| | | | | | - Daniel Kojo Arhinful
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Nwaogu IY, Bommarito K, Olsen MA, Margenthaler JA. Economic impact of bleeding complications after mastectomy. J Surg Res 2015; 199:77-83. [PMID: 25917999 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2015.03.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Revised: 03/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We sought to determine the incidence of postmastectomy bleeding, identify bleeding predictors, and evaluate the economic impact. METHODS Using the 2011 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample, hospital discharges for a primary diagnosis of breast cancer were extracted using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes 85.34-85.48 for mastectomy and diagnosis codes 174.0-174.9 for breast cancer. Discharges with postoperative bleeding were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes 998.11 and 998.12. Discharges with male gender or a history of coagulation disorders were excluded. Bleeding complication rates and reoperation rates were assessed. Predictors and the impact of bleeding on length of stay and hospital costs were determined using regression analysis and projected to the national level. RESULTS A total of 7907 discharges met inclusion criteria; 201 had bleeding complications (2.54%), with 42 cases requiring reoperation. On univariate analysis, the presence of congestive heart failure (CHF), obesity, diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease, and the absence of concomitant reconstruction were associated with increased bleeding events. On multivariate analysis, only the presence of CHF remained as a significant predictor of bleeding complications (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 2.45, [1.25-4.92], P = 0.009). On average, bleeding complications extended the length of stay by 1.3 d (P < 0.0001) while increasing hospital costs by $5495 per admission (P < 0.0001). Projected to a national level, bleeding complications accounted for an additional 1254 d of hospital care at a cost exceeding $5.3 million. CONCLUSIONS Postmastectomy bleeding complications had an incidence of 2.54%, with CHF the only independent predictor identified. Such bleeding events, although infrequent, are associated with substantial economic costs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iheoma Y Nwaogu
- Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Kerry Bommarito
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Margaret A Olsen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Julie A Margenthaler
- The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ilesanmi OS, Adebiyi AO, Fatiregun AA. National health insurance scheme: how protected are households in Oyo State, Nigeria from catastrophic health expenditure? Int J Health Policy Manag 2014; 2:175-80. [PMID: 24847483 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2014.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The major objective of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Nigeria is to protect families from the financial hardship of large medical bills. Catastrophic Health Expenditure (CHE) is rampart in Nigeria despite the take-off of the NHIS. This study aimed to determine if households enrolled in the NHIS were protected from having CHE. METHODS The study took place among 714 households in urban communities of Oyo State. CHE was measured using a threshold of 40% of monthly non-food expenditure. Descriptive statistics were done, Principal Component Analysis was used to divide households into wealth quintiles. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were done. RESULTS The mean age of household respondent was 33.5 years. The median household income was 43,500 naira (290 US dollars) and the range was 7,000-680,000 naira (46.7-4,533 US dollars) in 2012. The overall median household healthcare cost was 890 naira (5.9 US dollars) and the range was 10-17,700 naira (0.1-118 US dollars) in 2012. In all, 67 (9.4%) households were enrolled in NHIS scheme. Healthcare services was utilized by 637 (82.9%) and CHE occurred in 42 (6.6%) households. CHE occurred in 14 (10.9%) of the households in the lowest quintile compared to 3 (2.5%) in the highest wealth quintile (P= 0.004). The odds of CHE among households in lowest wealth quintile is about 5 times. They had Crude OR (CI): 4.7 (1.3-16.8), P= 0.022. Non enrolled households were two times likely to have CHE, though not significant Conclusion: Households in the lowest wealth quintiles were at higher risk of CHE. Universal coverage of health insurance in Nigeria should be fast-tracked to give the expected financial risk protection and decreased incidence of CHE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Akindele Olupelumi Adebiyi
- Department of Community Health, Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. ; Department of Preventive Medicine and Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Akinola Ayoola Fatiregun
- Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Ghosh S. Equity in the utilization of healthcare services in India: evidence from National Sample Survey. Int J Health Policy Manag 2014; 2:29-38. [PMID: 24596902 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2014.06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Accepted: 12/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pursuit of equity in health and healthcare has been the key feature of health policy in India. However, despite the policy significance, the volume of literature available on this issue is scarce. Therefore, this paper is an attempt to examine the horizontal inequities in healthcare utilization, consisting of outpatient and inpatient care in 15 major states and north-eastern region of India. METHODS Cross-sectional data were taken from the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) 60th round (2004), the survey on 'morbidity and healthcare'. While outpatient care was assessed using the probability of outpatient visit 15 days prior to the survey date, the indicators of inpatient care utilization were based on the following variables: the probability of hospital admission and length of stay in hospital over a 12-month period. All these measures of healthcare utilization were standardized for need differences and controlled for socio-economic factors. Need standardized concentration indices were used to measure interstate and intrastate income-related inequities in healthcare utilization. RESULTS Absolute inequalities were found between states in the proportion of the population reporting a visit to an outpatient provider, in the range of 4.42% to 21.72%. Similarly, inpatient care varied from 1% to 10%. The magnitude of inequity for both outpatient and inpatient care was pro-rich across rural and urban areas of India and in majority of the states. In fact, in majority of the states, the horizontal inequity across types of curative care was noticeably higher within the rural population than in the urban population. The analysis demonstrated that high per capita government health spending was significantly associated with low inequity in utilization of inpatient care. CONCLUSION The study concludes that it would be necessary to address the prevailing inequities in healthcare by substantially scaling up the public spending on health, and achieving effective universal coverage of healthcare in India.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soumitra Ghosh
- Centre for Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Health Systems Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, India
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Kline-Simon AH, Weisner CM, Parthasarathy S, Falk DE, Litten RZ, Mertens JR. Five-year healthcare utilization and costs among lower-risk drinkers following alcohol treatment. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2013; 38:579-86. [PMID: 24117604 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2012] [Accepted: 08/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lower-risk drinking is increasingly being examined as a treatment outcome for some patients following addiction treatment. However, few studies have examined the relationship between drinking status (lower-risk drinking in particular) and healthcare utilization and cost, which has important policy implications. METHODS Participants were adults with alcohol dependence and/or abuse diagnoses who received outpatient alcohol and other drug treatment in a private, nonprofit integrated healthcare delivery system and had a follow-up interview 6 months after treatment entry (N = 995). Associations between past 30-day drinking status at 6 months (abstinence, lower-risk drinking defined as nonabstinence and no days of 5+ drinking, and heavy drinking defined as 1 or more days of 5+ drinking) and repeated measures of at least 1 emergency department (ED), inpatient or primary care visit, and their costs over 5 years were examined using mixed-effects models. We modeled an interaction between time and drinking status to examine trends in utilization and costs over time by drinking group. RESULTS Heavy drinkers and lower-risk drinkers were not significantly different from the abstainers in their cost or utilization at time 0 (i.e., 6 months postintake). Heavy drinkers had increasing odds of inpatient (p < 0.01) and ED (p < 0.05) utilization over 5 years compared with abstainers. Lower-risk drinkers and abstainers did not significantly differ in their service use in any category over time. No differences were found in changes in primary care use among the 3 groups over time. The cost analyses paralleled the utilization results. Heavy drinkers had increasing ED (p < 0.05) and inpatient (p < 0.001) costs compared with the abstainers; primary care costs did not significantly differ. Lower-risk drinkers did not have significantly different medical costs compared with those who were abstinent over 5 years. However, post hoc analyses found lower-risk drinkers and heavy drinkers to not significantly differ in their ED use or costs over time. CONCLUSIONS Performance measures for treatment settings that consider treatment outcomes may need to take into account both abstinence and reduction to nonheavy drinking. Future research should examine whether results are replicated in harm reduction treatment, or whether such outcomes are found only in abstinence-based treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea H Kline-Simon
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Rim H, Kim H, Lee K, Chang S, Hovell MF, Kim YT, Kim Y, Kang G, Tak Y, Im J. Validity of self-reported healthcare utilization data in the Community Health Survey in Korea. J Korean Med Sci 2011; 26:1409-14. [PMID: 22065895 PMCID: PMC3207042 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.11.1409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2011] [Accepted: 09/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of Community Health Survey (CHS), we analyzed data from 11,217 participants aged ≥ 19 yr, in 13 cities and counties in 2008. Three healthcare utilization indices (admission, outpatient visits, dental visits) as comparative variables and the insurance benefit claim data of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service as the gold-standard were used. The sensitivities of admission, outpatient visits, and dental visits in CHS were 54.8%, 52.1%, and 61.0%, respectively. The specificities were 96.4%, 85.6%, and 82.7%, respectively. This is the first study to evaluate the validity of nationwide health statistics resulting from questionnaire surveys and shows that CHS needs a lot of efforts to reflect the true health status, health behavior, and healthcare utilization of the population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hwayoung Rim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyeongsu Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kunsei Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sounghoon Chang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Melbourne F Hovell
- Center of Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Young-Taek Kim
- Division of Chronic Disease Control and Prevention, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Osong, Korea
| | - Yuna Kim
- Division of Chronic Disease Control and Prevention, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Osong, Korea
| | - Gilwon Kang
- Department of Health Informatics and Management, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Yangju Tak
- Department of Emergency Medical Service, College of Health and Life Science, Chungju National University, Chungju, Korea
| | - Jeehye Im
- Center for Health Care Research, Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, Seoul, Korea
| |
Collapse
|