Potential implications of using locally validated risk factors for drug-resistant pathogens in patients with community-acquired pneumonia in US hospitals: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The 2019 ATS/IDSA community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) guidelines recommend that clinicians prescribe empiric antibiotics for MRSA or P. aeruginosa only if locally validated risk factors (or 2 generic risk factors if local validation is not feasible) are present. It remains unknown how implementation of this recommendation would influence care. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included adults hospitalized for CAP across 50 hospitals in the Premier Healthcare Database from 2010-2015 and sought to describe how the use of extended-spectrum antibiotics (ESA) and the coverage for patients with CAP due to restraint organisms would change under the two approaches described in 2019 ATS/IDSA guidelines. To do this, the proportion of ESA use in patients with CAP and the proportion of ESA coverage among patients with infections resistant to recommended CAP therapy were measured. RESULTS: In the 50 hospitals, 19%-75% of patients received ESA, and 42%-100% of patients with resistant organisms received ESA. The median number of risk factors identified per hospital was 9 (interquartile range [IQR], 6-12). Overall, treatment according to local risk factors reduced the number of patients receiving ESA by 38.8 percentage points and using generic risk factors by 47.5 percentage points. However, the effect varied by hospital. The use of generic risk factors always resulted in less ESA use and less coverage for resistant organisms. Using locally validated risk factors resulted in a similar outcome in all but one hospital. CONCLUSION: Future guidelines should explicitly define the optimal trade-off between adequate coverage for resistant organisms and ESA use.

Renoprotective Effects of Metabolic Surgery Versus GLP1 Receptor Agonists on Progression of Kidney Impairment in Patients with Established Kidney Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the renoprotective effects of metabolic surgery in patients with established chronic kidney disease (CKD). BACKGROUND: The impact of metabolic surgery compared with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) in patients with established CKD has not been fully characterized. METHODS: Patients with obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m 2 ), type 2 diabetes, and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 20-60 mL/min/1.73 m² who underwent metabolic bariatric surgery at a large US health system (2010-2017) were compared with nonsurgical patients who continuously received GLP-1RA. The primary end point was CKD progression, defined as a decline of eGFR by ≥50% or to <15 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , initiation of dialysis, or kidney transplant. The secondary end point was the incident kidney failure (eGFR <15 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , dialysis, or kidney transplant) or all-cause mortality. RESULTS: 425 patients, including 183 patients in the metabolic surgery group and 242 patients in the GLP-1RA group, with a median follow-up of 5.8 years (IQR, 4.4-7.6), were analyzed. The cumulative incidence of the primary end point at 8 years was 21.7% (95% CI: 12.2-30.6) in the surgical group and 45.1% (95% CI: 27.7 to 58.4) in the nonsurgical group, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.40 (95% CI: 0.21 to 0.76), P =0.006. The cumulative incidence of the secondary composite end point at 8 years was 24.0% (95% CI: 14.1 to 33.2) in the surgical group and 43.8% (95% CI: 28.1 to 56.1) in the nonsurgical group, with an adjusted HR of 0.56 (95% CI: 0.31 to 0.99), P =0.048. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and established CKD, metabolic surgery, compared with GLP-1RA, was significantly associated with a 60% lower risk of progression of kidney impairment and a 44% lower risk of kidney failure or death. Metabolic surgery should be considered as a therapeutic option for patients with CKD and obesity.

Association of patient characteristics and insurance type with anti-obesity medications prescribing and fills.

AIM: To characterize factors associated with the receipt of anti-obesity medication (AOM) prescription and fill. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health records from 1 January 2015 to 30 June 2023, in a large health system in Ohio and Florida. Adults with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 who attended ≥1 weight-management programme or had an initial AOM prescription between 1 July 2015 and 31 December 2022, were included. The main measures were a prescription for an AOM (naltrexone-bupropion, orlistat, phentermine-topiramate, liraglutide 3.0 mg and semaglutide 2.4 mg) and an AOM fill during the study follow-up. RESULTS: We identified 50 678 adults, with a mean body mass index of 38 ± 8 kg/m2 and follow-up of 4.7 ± 2.4 years. Only 8.0% of the cohort had AOM prescriptions and 4.4% had filled prescriptions. In the multivariable analyses, being a man, Black, Hispanic and other race/ethnicity (vs. White), Medicaid, traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, self-pay and other insurance types (vs. private insurance) and fourth quartile of the area deprivation index (vs. first quartile) were associated with lower odds of a new prescription. Hispanic ethnicity, being a man, Medicaid, traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage insurance types, liraglutide and orlistat (vs. naltrexone-buproprion) were associated with lower odds of AOM fill, while phentermine-topiramate was associated with higher odds. Among privately insured individuals, the insurance carrier was associated with both the odds of AOM prescription and fill. CONCLUSIONS: Significant disparities exist in access to AOM both at the prescribing stage and getting the prescription filled based on patient characteristics and insurance type.

Do Insurance-mandated Precertification Criteria and Insurance Plan Type Determine the Utilization of Bariatric Surgery Among Individuals With Private Insurance?

BACKGROUND: Access to bariatric surgery is restricted by insurers in numerous ways, including by precertification criteria such as 3-6 months preoperative supervised medical weight management and documented 2-year weight history. OBJECTIVES: To investigate if there is an association between the aforementioned precertification criteria, insurance plan type, and the likelihood of undergoing bariatric surgery, after controlling for potential sociodemographic confounders. RESEARCH DESIGN: The study was conducted using the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council's data in 5 counties of Pennsylvania in 2016 and records of preoperative insurance requirements maintained by the Temple University Bariatric Surgery Program.Privately insured bariatric surgery patients and individuals who met the eligibility criteria but did not undergo surgery were identified and 1:1 matched by sex, race, age group, and zip code (n=1054). Univariate tests and logistic regression analysis were utilized for data analysis. RESULTS: The insurance requirement for 3-6 months preoperative supervised medical weight management was associated with smaller odds of undergoing surgery [odds ratio (OR)=0.459; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.253-0.832; P=0.010], after controlling for insurance plan type and the requirement for documented weight history.Preferred provider organization (OR=1.422; 95% CI, 1.063-1.902; P=0.018) and fee-for-service (OR=1.447; 95% CI, 1.021-2.050; P=0.038) plans were associated with greater odds of undergoing surgery, compared with health maintenance organization plans, after controlling for the studied precertification requirements. The documented weight history requirement was not a significant predictor of the odds of undergoing surgery (P=0.132). CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for consideration of insurance benefits design as a determinant of access to bariatric surgery.

Association Between Use of EHR-Generated Dashboards and Hospital Outcomes in 30-Day Heart Failure Readmissions.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This study examined whether usage of clinical data from the electronic health record (EHR) to create organizational- and unit-level performance dashboards and assess adherence to clinical practice guidelines is associated with hospital outcomes in risk-adjusted 30-day readmissions for patients with a principal diagnosis of heart failure (HF). It further assesses the association between the metrics of hospital financial health and the usage of those EHR-generated tools.A cross-sectional study design was used. The study used data from the 2016 American Hospital Association Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council's (PHC4's) 2017 Hospital Performance Report, and the PHC4 General Acute Care Hospitals Financial Analysis Report for fiscal year 2017. Contingency tables, likelihood-ratio chi-square tests, and logistic regression were applied for data analysis.Usage of the EHR to assess adherence to clinical practice guidelines and create EHR-generated unit-level performance dashboards, rather than organizational performance dashboards, was more strongly associated with the hospitals' rating in risk-adjusted 30-day readmissions for HF patients. An increase in hospitals' operating margin was associated with greater odds of the usage of the discussed EHR tools, after controlling for hospital control/ownership and the total number of beds.Usage of some EHR-generated analytical tools may be more strongly associated with lower-than-expected 30-day hospital readmissions in HF patients than with other tools. Better hospital financial health is linked with greater uptake of the discussed analytical tools. Further research could help to determine which EHR-generated tools are more effective in improving hospital outcomes in HF.

Metrics to Evaluate the Performance of Cancer Center Leadership: A Systematic Review.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Cancer centers are diverse healthcare organizations comprising clinicians and researchers dedicated to understanding, treating, and controlling cancer in the populations they serve. Although many metrics are used to evaluate cancer center performance, few of these standardized measures have been identified to evaluate cancer center leadership. We performed a systematic review to identify published literature presenting metrics used to evaluate the leadership of cancer centers. Metrics were then classified using 10 a priori-defined categories of evaluation. Overall, we reviewed 34 articles (studies, editorials, interviews). The most commonly discussed leadership evaluation category was Organizational Strategy/Planning (31 of the 34 articles), followed by Leader Characteristics (25 articles), Clinical Performance (21), and Facility Characteristics (20). Organizational Strategy/Planning metrics included governance structure, strategic development, quality assurance and improvement, mission and vision, business planning, and program development. Leader Characteristic metrics included communication, vision/strategic thinking, personal skills, team coordination, leadership style, and staff development. Clinical Performance metrics focused on delivery of and outcomes from clinical services, while Facility Characteristics included space allocation and access to support services. The metrics reviewed in this article may be considered measurable outcomes in evaluating whether cancer center leadership demonstrates key competencies. Additional research should explore the linkage among metrics used to evaluate cancer center leaders, desired competencies for healthcare leaders, and objective measures of whether a cancer center is successful.

Left hemispatial neglect with a splenial lesion.

With injury of the anterior two-thirds of the corpus callosum, each hemisphere's attentional bias to contralateral hemispace becomes manifest with each hand deviating ipsilaterally during line bisection tasks. Patients with infarctions in the right posterior cerebral artery distribution with occipital and splenial damage can also exhibit spatial neglect. The goal of this report is to learn the role of the splenium of the corpus callosum in mediating visuospatial attention. A right-handed woman with Marchiafava-Bignami disease and damage to the splenium of her corpus callosum without evidence of a mesial frontal, parietal, or occipital injury was assessed for spatial neglect with line bisections. When bisecting lines in her left hemispace with her right hand, she deviated to the right, but revealed no major deviations when the line was place in the midline, in right hemispace, or when bisecting lines with her left hand. This patient provides evidence that damage to the splenium can induce a special form of asymmetrical spatial neglect. This asymmetry might be related to the disconnected right hemisphere's ability to allocate attention to both right and left hemispaces with the disconnected left hemisphere's ability to allocate attention to the right but not left hemispace.

Early- and later-stage persistence with antiobesity medications: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The study's objective was to examine the percentage of patients with an initial antiobesity medication (AOM) fill who were persistent with AOM at 3, 6, and 12 months and to characterize factors associated with persistence at 12 months. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health records from January 2015 to July 2023 in a large health system in Ohio and Florida and included adults with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 who had an initial AOM prescription filled between 2015 and 2022. RESULTS: The authors identified 1911 patients with a median baseline BMI of 38 (IQR, 34-44). Over time, 44% were persistent with AOM at 3 months, 33% at 6 months, and 19% at 12 months. Across categories of AOM, the highest 1-year persistence was in patients receiving semaglutide (40%). Semaglutide (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.26, 95% CI: 3.04-6.05) was associated with higher odds of 1-year persistence, and naltrexone-bupropion (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.46-1.00) was associated with lower odds, compared with phentermine-topiramate. Among patients who were persistent at 6 months, a 1% increase in weight loss at 6 months was associated with 6% increased odds of persistence at year 1 (AOR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.09). CONCLUSIONS: Later-stage persistence with AOM varies considerably based on the drug and the weight loss at 6 months.

One-Year Weight Reduction With Semaglutide or Liraglutide in Clinical Practice.

Importance: Limited data are available on long-term weight loss achieved with semaglutide or liraglutide for type 2 diabetes (T2D) or obesity in clinical practice. Objective: To document weight loss achieved with injectable forms of semaglutide or liraglutide and identify factors associated with weight reduction of 10% or greater at 1 year. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health records from a large, integrated health system in Ohio and Florida. Participants included adults with a body mass index (calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared) of at least 30.0 who initiated treatment with semaglutide or liraglutide between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2022. Follow-up was completed July 28, 2023. Exposure: Injectable forms of semaglutide or liraglutide approved for T2D or obesity. Main Outcomes and Measures: Percentage weight change and categorical weight reduction of 10% or greater at 1 year. Results: A total of 3389 patients (mean [SD] age, 50.4 [12.2] years; 1835 [54.7%] female) were identified. Of these, 1341 patients received semaglutide for T2D; 1444, liraglutide for T2D; 227, liraglutide for obesity; and 377, semaglutide for obesity. Mean (SD) percentage weight change at 1 year was -5.1% (7.8%) with semaglutide vs -2.2% (6.4%) with liraglutide (P < .001); -3.2% (6.8%) for T2D as a treatment indication vs -5.9% (9.0%) for obesity (P < .001); and -5.5% (7.5%) with persistent medication coverage (ie, a cumulative gap of less than 90 days) at 1 year vs -2.8% (7.0%) with 90 to 275 medication coverage days and -1.8% (6.7%) with fewer than 90 medication coverage days (P < .001). In the multivariable model, semaglutide vs liraglutide (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.19 [95% CI, 1.77-2.72]), obesity as a treatment indication vs T2D (AOR, 2.46 [95% CI, 1.83-3.30]), persistent medication coverage vs 90 medication coverage days (AOR, 3.36 [95% CI, 2.52-4.54]) or 90 to 275 medication coverage days within the first year (AOR, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.10-2.06]), high dosage of the medication vs low (AOR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.11-2.25]), and female sex (AOR, 1.57 [95% CI, 1.27-1.94]) were associated with achieving a 10% or greater weight reduction at year 1. Conclusions and Relevance: In this retrospective cohort study of 3389 patients with obesity, weight reduction at 1 year was associated with the medication's active agent, its dosage, treatment indication, persistent medication coverage, and patient sex. Future research should focus on identifying the reasons for discontinuation of medication use and interventions aimed at improving long-term persistent coverage.

Role of Patient Characteristics and Insurance Type in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Care Disparities.

PURPOSE: Little is known about the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) in the utilization of novel treatments among patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used Taussig Cancer Center's Myeloma Patient Registry to identify adults with NDMM between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. Electronic health records data captured treatment with (1) triplet or quadruplet regimen and (2) lenalidomide during the first year after NDMM, and (3) stem-cell transplant (SCT) through December 31, 2022. Multivariable logistic regression models examined associations of demographic/clinical characteristics and SDOH with care patterns. RESULTS: We identified 569 patients with median age at diagnosis of 66 years (IQR, 59-73); 55% were male, 76% White, 23% Black, 1.1% other races, insured by Medicare (51%), private payer (38%), Medicaid (8.3%), and self-pay/other (1.8%). In the multivariable models, self-pay/other payers (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.15 [95% CI, 0.03 to 0.54]) was associated with lower odds of triplet or quadruplet regimen, compared with Medicare. Private insurance (AOR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.27 to 0.86]) and self-pay/other payers (AOR, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.04 to 0.74]) had lower odds of lenalidomide. Black patients (v White; AOR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.26 to 0.85]) and patients treated at regional hospitals (v Taussig Cancer Center; AOR, 0.27 [95% CI, 0.12 to 0.57]) had lower odds of SCT. The odds of receiving triplet or quadruplet regimen, lenalidomide, and SCT also varied by the year of NDMM. CONCLUSION: Care for NDMM varied based on race, insurance type, year of diagnosis, and treatment facility. It may be useful to examine the impact of insurance-related characteristics and recent policy initiatives on care disparities.

Disparities in Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder Among All of Us Participants.

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted that included adults (≥18 years) with AUD from the All of Us Controlled Tier database v7. Outcomes were lifetime receipt of FDA-approved medications (disulfiram, acamprosate, and naltrexone), psychotherapy (individual, family, and group-based session), and combination treatment (medication and psychotherapy). The study examined treatment receipt by race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, other), insurance (private, Medicare, Medicare and Medicaid, Medicaid, Veteran Affairs [VA], none), income (<$10K, $10-<$50K, $50-$100K, >$100K), and area deprivation index (ADI) quintiles. Multivariable logistic and multinomial logistic regressions were used to assess the association between patient characteristics and treatment receipt. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 18,692 patients (mean age=57.1 years; 60.7% were male; 47.1% were non-Hispanic White). Almost 70% received no treatment, 11.4% received medication, 24.0% received psychotherapy, and 4.9% received combination treatment. In adjusted analysis, non-Hispanic Black (aOR=0.78, 95% CI=0.69-0.89) and Hispanic (aOR=0.75, 95% CI=0.64-0.88) individuals were less likely to receive medication than non-Hispanic White counterparts. There was no association between race/ethnicity and receipt of psychotherapy or combination treatment. Compared with private insurance, dual eligibility was associated with less use of medication, Medicare and Medicaid with less use of medication and combination treatment, and VA and no insurance with more use of psychotherapy and combination treatment. Higher income and lower ADI were positively associated with all treatment types. CONCLUSIONS: There are disparities in AUD treatment by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and insurance. Systematic approaches are required to improve equitable access to effective treatment.

Disparities in time to treatment with oral antimyeloma medications.

This retrospective cohort study used Taussig Cancer Center's Myeloma Patient Registry to identify adults with multiple myeloma diagnosed between January 2017-December 2021. Electronic health records data captured time from diagnosis to initial prescription fill for oral antimyeloma medications and initiation of facility administered or oral antimyeloma treatment. We identified 720 patients with a mean age at diagnosis of 67 years ±11; 55% were male, 77% White, 22% Black, 1% other races, covered by private insurance (36%), traditional Medicare (29%), Medicare Advantage (25%), and Medicaid (8.3%). Over a third of patients (37%) resided in an area in the most disadvantaged area deprivation index (ADI) quartile. The median available follow-up was 765 days. Seventy-five percent of the cohort filled an oral antimyeloma medication prescription (excluding corticosteroids), with a median time to fill of 28 days (IQR, 15-61). In the multivariable Cox regression model, Black race (vs. White, adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.61, 95% CI, 0.42-0.87), older age at diagnosis (aHR per 1 year, 0.97, 95% CI, 0.95-0.98), diagnosis during an inpatient admission (aHR, 0.63, 95% CI, 0.43-0.92), and estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤29 ml/min/1.73 m2 (vs. ≥60, aHR, 0.46, 95% CI, 0.29-0.73) were negatively associated with prescription fill for oral antimyeloma medication at 30 days, while insurance type and ADI were not significant predictors.

Treatment Access among Younger Medicaid Beneficiaries with Multiple Myeloma.

PURPOSE: Continuous Medicaid coverage prior to a cancer diagnosis has been associated with earlier detection and better outcomes, for patients with solid tumors. In this study, we aimed to determine if this was observed among patients with multiple myeloma, a hematologic cancer where there are no routine screening tests and most are diagnosed through acute medical events. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an analysis of the Merative MarketScan Multistate Medicaid Database, a claims-based dataset. In total, 1105 patients < 65 years old were included in the analyses. Among them, 66% had continuous enrollment (at least 6 months enrollment prior to myeloma), and 34% had discontinuous enrollment (2-6 months enrollment prior to myeloma). Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate the association between continuous enrollment status and receipt of myeloma treatment within 1 year of index date. RESULTS: Only 54% of all Medicaid enrollees received myeloma therapy and only 12% received stem cell transplant within the 1st year. Those with continuous enrollment were less likely to receive any treatment (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.70; P < .001) and to receive stem cell transplant (aHR 0.51; 95% CI 0.32-0.81; P = .005). CONCLUSION: Patients with continuous Medicaid coverage prior to diagnosis were less likely to receive myeloma therapy. Future studies should examine whether myeloma patients with continuous Medicaid enrollment have more chronic financial instability and/or higher medical needs and, thus, have higher barriers to care.

Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Treatment Patterns in the United States: A Systematic Review.

We performed a systematic review of the literature investigating the demographic and insurance-related factors linked to disparities in multiple myeloma (MM) care patterns in the United States from 2003 to 2021. Forty-six observational studies were included. Disparities in MM care patterns were reported based on patient race in 76% of studies (34 out of 45 that captured race as a study variable), ethnicity in 60% (12 out of 20), insurance in 77% (17 out of 22), and distance from treating facility, urbanicity, or geographic region in 62% (13 out of 21). A smaller proportion of studies identified disparities in MM care patterns based on other socioeconomic characteristics, with 36% (9 out of 25) identifying disparities based on income estimate or employment status and 43% (6 out of 14) based on language barrier or education-related factors. Sociodemographic characteristics are frequently associated with disparities in care for individuals diagnosed with MM. There is a need for further research regarding modifiable determinants to accessing care such as insurance plan design, patient out-of-pocket costs, preauthorization criteria, as well as social determinants of health. This information can be used to develop actionable strategies for reducing MM health disparities and enhancing timely and high-quality MM care.

Addressing insurance-related barriers to novel antiobesity medications: Lessons to be learned from bariatric surgery.

The past decade has witnessed significant progress in the development of new antiobesity medications, with several having greater efficacy than pharmacological agents previously approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Despite the potential of new medications to combat America's obesity crisis, access to these agents is severely limited. This Perspective presents the current coverage landscape for antiobesity medications, including the recent requirement by the US Office of Personnel Management for Federal Employees Health Benefits Program carriers to offer adequate coverage of FDA-approved antiobesity medications, and it makes parallels with conditions that made expanded insurance coverage for bariatric surgery possible, as well as emphasizes the need for additional action by the legislature and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to expand coverage of evidence-based obesity treatments.

Disparities In Diabetes-Related Lower Extremity Amputations In The United States: A Systematic Review.

Disparities in rates of peripheral diabetic neuropathy and lower extremity amputation exist in the United States. To investigate the factors linked to this disparity, we performed a systematic review of the literature on the subject published during the period 2000-20. Nineteen observational studies were included. Disparities in rates of lower extremity amputation were reported according to patient race, ethnicity, sex, and age; across hospital referral regions, residential area characteristics, and income estimates; and on the basis of payer type and hospital characteristics. Several of these factors were interrelated. There was a reduction in major lower extremity amputation rates among Black, Hispanic, and White patients with diabetes over time, suggesting narrowing disparities in the odds of this procedure among Black and White patients. There is a need for a national strategy that integrates public awareness, screening, early initiated multidisciplinary care, and quality measures for peripheral artery disease management, as well as neighborhood-level public health interventions, to reduce the disproportionate burden of lower extremity amputation in underserved communities.

Association between insurance-mandated precertification criteria and inpatient healthcare utilization during 1 year after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Insurance-mandated precertification requirements are barriers to bariatric surgery. The value of their prescription, based on insurance type rather that the clinical necessity, is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether there is an association between insurance-mandated precertification criteria for bariatric surgery and short-term inpatient healthcare utilization. SETTING: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council's inpatient care databases for the years 2016-2017. METHODS: The study included 2717 adults who underwent bariatric surgery in Southeastern Pennsylvania in 2016. Postoperative length of stay and rehospitalizations for these individuals were followed using clinical and claims data during the first year after bariatric surgery. RESULTS: The requirements for 3- to 6-month preoperative medical weight management, as well as pulmonology and cardiology examinations, were not associated with the patient length of stay, number of all-cause rehospitalizations, or number of all-cause rehospitalization days after adjusting for patient age, sex, race, ethnicity, the Elixhauser comorbidity score, type of the surgery, facility where the surgery was performed, primary payer type, and the estimated median household income. Among commercially insured individuals (n = 1499), the mean number of all-cause rehospitalizations during the study period was lower in patients with no medical weight management requirement by a factor of .57 (lower by 43.1%; 95% confidence interval, .35-.94, P = .03) and higher in patients with no requirement for preoperative cardiology and pulmonology evaluations by a factor of 2.09 (95% confidence interval 1.09-4.02, P = .03). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the precertification requirement for preoperative medical weight management is not associated with a reduction in inpatient healthcare utilization in the first postoperative year.

10-year weight loss outcomes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and attendance at follow-up visits: a single-center study.

BACKGROUND: Long-term durability of weight loss is a prerequisite for a greater acceptance of bariatric surgery. OBJECTIVES: To examine long-term weight trajectory in patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and determine factors predicting long-term follow-up and weight outcomes. SETTING: University hospital. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of adults who underwent RYGB during 1997-2010 were identified and followed until 2017. Predictors for attendance at periodic follow-up visits, reduction in body mass index (BMI), and percent excess BMI lost were determined using multivariable logistic regression and linear mixed-effects models. The latter was used to predict long-term weight outcomes for a typical patient. RESULTS: The study included 1104 patients with a mean age of 45.5 (standard deviation [SD] 9.9) years and a preoperative BMI of 54.7 (SD 10.9) kg/m2. Follow-up data were available for 92.8% of the patients after 1 year, 50.0% after 5 years, and 35.2% after 10 years post-surgery. Black patients, compared with White patients, were less likely to attend follow-up visits. Attendance at follow-up visits at least every other year was not associated with larger weight loss, but higher preoperative BMI, being White (versus Black), and female sex were. Predicted BMI reduction for a typical patient, a 45-year-old White female with a preoperative BMI of 54.7 kg/m2 and private health insurance, undergoing laparoscopic RYGB in 2004, was 18.3 (standard error [SE] .36) kg/m2 at year 5 and 17.6 (SE .49) kg/m2 at year 10. CONCLUSION: RYGB results in clinically significant and durable weight loss. Attendance at periodic follow-up visits does not appear to be associated with long-term weight loss outcomes. Future work should focus on strategies to remove barriers to post-operative care.

The role of health insurance characteristics in utilization of bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is underutilized in the United States. OBJECTIVE: To examine temporal changes in patient characteristics and insurer type mix among adult bariatric surgery patients in southeastern Pennsylvania and to investigate the associations between payor type, insurance plan type, cost-sharing arrangements (among traditional Medicare beneficiaries), and bariatric surgery utilization. SETTING: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council's databases in southeastern Pennsylvania during 2014-2018. METHODS: All adult patients who underwent the most common types of bariatric surgery and a 1:1 matched sample of surgery patients and those who were eligible for surgery but did not undergo surgery were identified. Contingency tables, Pearson χ2 tests, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Over the 5 years, there was an increase in the proportion of Black individuals (37.1% in 2014 versus 43.0% in 2018), Hispanics (5.4% versus 8.0%), and Medicaid beneficiaries (19.2% in 2014 versus 28.5% in 2018) who underwent surgery. The odds of undergoing bariatric surgery based on payor type only between Medicare beneficiaries were statistically different (22% smaller odds) compared with privately insured individuals. There were significantly different odds of undergoing surgery based on insurance plan type within Medicare and private insurance payor categories. Individuals with traditional Medicare plans with no supplementary insurance and those with dual eligibility had smaller odds of undergoing surgery (42% and 32%, respectively) compared with those with private secondary insurance. CONCLUSIONS: Insurance plan design may be as important in determining the utilization of bariatric surgery as the general payor type after controlling for confounding socio-demographic factors.