How Variable are Patient Comorbidity Profiles Among Practicing Otolaryngologists?
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
; 2024 May 13.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38738928
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To determine whether certain groups of otolaryngologists (ORLs) are treating cohorts of patients with more comorbidities. STUDYDESIGN:
Cross-sectional population-based analysis.SETTING:
2019 Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Dataset.METHODS:
Each ORL's average Medicare hierarchical condition category (HCC) risk score, a comorbidity index calculated from a patient's comorbidities, was collected. These were stratified and compared by various physician characteristics, including practice region and rurality, years in practice, gender, subspecialty, and setting (academic vs community).RESULTS:
Among 8959 ORLs, the mean HCC risk score for Medicare patients was 1.35 ± 0.35. On univariate analysis, ORLs practicing in urban (compared to rural), ORLs in academic settings (compared to community), and early career ORLs all had a patient population with a higher HCC risk score (P < .001 for all). On multivariate analysis controlling for gender, rurality, graduation year, and region, rural setting was associated with decreased odds of having a high-risk patient population (odds ratio 0.58 [95% confidence interval, CI 0.48-0.71]; P < .001), while those more recently graduated has an increased risk (2000-2009 1.41 [1.01-1.96], P = .046; 2010-2015 2.30 [1.63-3.25], P < .001). In a separate subgroup analysis, subspecialty differences were seen and community setting was associated with decreased odds of having a high-risk patient population (0.36 [0.23-0.55]; P < .001).CONCLUSION:
There is variability in patient comorbidity profiles among ORLs, with those in urban settings, those more recently graduated, and those in academic settings treating a group with more comorbidities. As the comorbidity burden may increase the cost of practice and complications, these findings may have important implications for health inequity.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article