Hillary J Mull1, Peter E Rivard2, Aaron Legler3, Steven D Pizer4, Mary T Hawn5, Kamal M F Itani6, Amy K Rosen7. 1. Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: hillary.mull@va.gov. 2. Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Healthcare Administration, Sawyer Business School Suffolk University, Boston, MA, USA. 3. Partnered Evidence-based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC), Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Partnered Evidence-based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC), Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston, MA, USA; Northeastern University School of Pharmacy, Boston, MA, USA. 5. Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Center for Surgical, Medical Acute Care Research and Transitions (C-SMART), Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA. 6. Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Surgery, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 7. Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Adverse event (AE) rates in outpatient surgery are inconsistently reported, partly because of the lack of a standard definition of outpatient surgery. We compared the types and rates of surgical procedures defined by two national healthcare agencies: Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and considered implications for quality measurement. METHODS: We used HCCI and HCUP definitions to identify FY2012-14 VA outpatient surgeries. RESULTS: There were six times as many HCCI surgeries as HCUP (6,575,830 versus 1,086,640). Ninety-nine percent of HCUP-defined surgeries were also identified by HCCI. More HCUP surgeries had higher average Medicare Relative Value Units then HCCI surgeries [5.3 (SD = 4.4) versus 1.6 (SD = 2.3) RVUs]. CONCLUSIONS: Rates and types of procedures vary widely between definitions. Quality measurement using HCCI versus HCUP may produce significantly lower AE rates because many of the surgeries included reflect low complexity and potentially low risk of AEs. Published by Elsevier Inc.
BACKGROUND: Adverse event (AE) rates in outpatient surgery are inconsistently reported, partly because of the lack of a standard definition of outpatient surgery. We compared the types and rates of surgical procedures defined by two national healthcare agencies: Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and considered implications for quality measurement. METHODS: We used HCCI and HCUP definitions to identify FY2012-14 VA outpatient surgeries. RESULTS: There were six times as many HCCI surgeries as HCUP (6,575,830 versus 1,086,640). Ninety-nine percent of HCUP-defined surgeries were also identified by HCCI. More HCUP surgeries had higher average Medicare Relative Value Units then HCCI surgeries [5.3 (SD = 4.4) versus 1.6 (SD = 2.3) RVUs]. CONCLUSIONS: Rates and types of procedures vary widely between definitions. Quality measurement using HCCI versus HCUP may produce significantly lower AE rates because many of the surgeries included reflect low complexity and potentially low risk of AEs. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Authors: Kara A Rothenberg; Jordan R Stern; Elizabeth L George; Amber W Trickey; Arden M Morris; Daniel E Hall; Jason M Johanning; Mary T Hawn; Shipra Arya Journal: JAMA Netw Open Date: 2019-05-03