Utilization and Timing of Cystoscopy for Hematuria Evaluation by Advanced Practice Providers and Urologists.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize differences between urologists and advanced practice providers (APPs) in the utilization of cystoscopy for hematuria. METHODS: We identified patients initially evaluated for hematuria by a urologist or urology APP between 2015 and 2020 in the MarketScan Research Databases. We determined whether they received a cystoscopy within 6 months of their urology visit and the number of days until cystoscopy. We used multivariable regression to analyze the association between these outcomes and whether the urology clinician was an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician assistant (PA), or urologist. RESULTS: We identified 34,470 patients with microscopic hematuria and 17,328 patients with gross hematuria. Patients evaluated by urologists more often received a same-day cystoscopy than those evaluated by APPs (13% vs 5.8%). The odds that patients evaluated for microscopic and gross hematuria received a cystoscopy were 46.2% and 26.2% lower, respectively, if they were evaluated by an APRN vs a urologist. Patients seeing an APRN for microscopic and gross hematuria also waited approximately 7 and 14 days longer for their cystoscopy, respectively. No differences were observed for patients evaluated by PAs vs urologists. CONCLUSION: Patients evaluated for hematuria by an APRN were less likely to receive a cystoscopy and had a longer wait until the procedure compared to those evaluated by a urologist; however, no differences were observed between PAs and urologists. Better understanding APP integration into urology clinics is warranted.

Bladder-Preserving Trimodality Therapy With Capecitabine.

INTRODUCTION: Many patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer are poor candidates for radical cystectomy or trimodality therapy with maximal transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin or mitomycin C. Given the benefit of chemotherapy in bladder-preserving therapy, less-intense concurrent chemotherapy regimens are needed. This study reports on efficacy and toxicity for patients treated with trimodality therapy using single-agent concurrent capecitabine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients deemed ineligible for radical cystectomy or standard chemoradiotherapy by a multidisciplinary tumor board and patients who refused cystectomy were included. Following TURBT, patients received twice-daily capecitabine (goal dose 825 mg/m2) concurrent with radiotherapy to the bladder +/- pelvis depending on nodal staging and patient risk factors. Toxicity was evaluated prospectively in weekly on-treatment visits and follow-up visits by the treating physicians. Descriptive statistics are provided. Overall, progression-free, cancer-specific, distant metastasis-free, and bladder recurrence-free survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Twenty-seven consecutive patients met criteria for inclusion from 2013 to 2023. The median age was 79 with 9 patients staged cT3-4a and 7 staged cN1-3. The rate of complete response in the bladder and pelvis was 93%. Overall, progression-free, cancer-specific, distant metastasis-free, and bladder recurrence-free survival at 2 years were estimated as 81%, 65%, 91%, 75%, and 92%, respectively. There were 2 bladder recurrences, both noninvasive. There were 7 grade 3 acute hematologic or metabolic events but no other grade 3+ toxicities. CONCLUSION: Maximal TURBT followed by radiotherapy with concurrent capecitabine offers a high rate of bladder control and low rates of acute and late toxicity.

Characteristics of prostate cancer patients captured by facility-based versus geography-based cancer registries.

PURPOSE: We determined differences in demographics, tumor factors, and treatment patterns of prostate cancer patients in a geographic-based cancer registry based on eligibility for a facility-based cancer registry system. METHODS: We identified prostate cancer patients captured by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2018 to 2019. Our exposure was receipt of cancer care at a facility accredited by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer (CoC) providing eligibility for inclusion in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Outcomes included patient demographics, tumor factors (e.g., biopsy grade), and treatment with radical prostatectomy. RESULTS: We identified 113,733 prostate cancer patients of whom 65,708 (57%) were NCDB-eligible with an analytic abstract, and 11,010 (10%) were NCDB-eligible without an analytic abstract. NCDB-eligible men were younger (67.0 vs. 68.1 years, P < 0.001), less likely to be Hispanic/Latino (8.7% vs. 13.2%, P < 0.001), and more likely in a county with median income over $75,000 (40.9% vs. 30.0%, P < 0.001). NCDB eligibility varied widely by registry, from 95.9% in Connecticut to 42.6% in Utah. NCDB-ineligible patients were more likely to have unknown stage (17.2% vs. 2.9% NCDB-eligible) and missing PSA (22.9% vs 9.3% NCDB-eligible). NCDB-eligible men were less likely to have Grade Group 1 cancer on biopsy (28.2% vs. 39.2%, P < 0.001). Treatment with prostatectomy was more common among NCDB-eligible patients for low-risk (19.6% vs. 8.8%, adjusted OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.72-6.66) and high-risk tumors (43.5% vs. 26.0%, adjusted OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.33-2.86). CONCLUSION: Compared NCDB-ineligible patients, those eligible for inclusion in the NCDB have important differences in demographics, eligibility for active surveillance, and treatment patterns. Generalizations related to epidemiologic trends, practice patterns, and outcomes for this select population should be interpreted with caution.

Increasing Role of the Advanced Practice Provider in Men's Health Clinics: An Analysis of Medicare and Commercial Claims in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: As urological care delivery in the U.S. continues to evolve to meet patient needs, we aim to clarify the role of advanced practice providers for publicly and privately insured patients in the treatment of male urological conditions commonly encountered in men's health clinics. METHODS: Medicare and commercial insurance claims from the Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary and Merative MarketScan Commercial Database were queried for procedures submitted by advanced practice providers between 2010 and 2021. Common urological conditions were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes and grouped into 4 categories: testicular hypofunction, erectile dysfunction and Peyronie's disease, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and scrotal pain. The proportion of procedures submitted by advanced practice providers was calculated for each year and category. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2021, the proportion of advanced practice provider-submitted service counts for each condition within the MarketScan group increased up to 5-fold, with benign prostatic hyperplasia representing the greatest growth. The proportion of advanced practice provider-submitted service counts within the Medicare group increased up to 8-fold, with erectile dysfunction/Peyronie's disease representing the greatest fold change. The proportion of claims submitted by advanced practice providers treating all 4 conditions was higher in 2021 than 2010 in both publicly and privately insured groups. CONCLUSIONS: The role of advanced practice providers in men's urological health is increasing for both privately and publicly insured patient populations. Advanced practice providers play a critical role in urological care and can help to improve access to men's health.

Outcomes of Hematuria Evaluation by Advanced Practice Providers and Urologists.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the quality and costs of care for patients evaluated for hematuria by urologic advanced practice providers (APPs) and urologists. The roles of APPs in urology are growing, but their clinical and financial outcomes compared to urologists are not well understood. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of commercially insured patients using data from 2014 to 2020. We included adult beneficiaries with a diagnosis code for hematuria and an initial outpatient evaluation and management visit with a urologic APP or urologist. We assessed receipt of cystoscopy procedure, imaging study, bladder biopsy procedure, and bladder cancer diagnosis within 6 months of the initial visit. Secondary outcomes included the time until each of these outcomes occurred and the out-of-pocket spending and total payments. RESULTS: We identified 59,923 patients who were initially evaluated for hematuria. Visits with urologic nurse practitioners rather than urologists were associated with significantly lower odds of receiving cystoscopy procedures (odds ratio [OR] 0.93, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.54-0.72, P < .001), imaging studies (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.69-0.91, P < .001), and bladder biopsy procedures (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41-0.92, P = .02). Visits with urologic physician assistants were associated with 11% greater out-of-pocket payments (incident risk ratio 1.11, CI 1.01-1.22, P = .02) and 14% greater total payments (incident risk ratio 1.14, CI 1.04-1.25, P = .004). CONCLUSION: There are clinical and financial differences in hematuria care delivered by urologic APPs and urologists. The incorporation of APPs into urologic care warrants further study, and specialty-specific training for APPs should be considered.

Effects of Advanced Practice Providers on Single-specialty Surgical Practice.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of adding advanced practice providers to surgical practices on surgical complications, readmissions, mortality, episode spending, length of stay, and access to care. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: There has been substantial growth in the number of nurse practitioners and physician assistants (ie, advanced practice providers) in the United States. The extent to which advanced practice providers have been integrated into surgical practice, and their impact on surgical outcomes and access is unclear. METHODS: Using a 20% sample of national Medicare claims, we performed a retrospective cohort study of fee-for-service beneficiaries undergoing one of 4 major procedures (coronary artery bypass graft, colectomy, major joint replacement, and cystectomy) between 2010 and 2016. We limited our study population for each procedure to patients treated by single-specialty surgical groups to ensure that the advanced practice providers have direct interactions with its surgeons and patients. All outcomes were measured at the practice level for the year before and the year after the addition of the first advanced practice provider. Outcomes included: complications, readmission, mortality, episode payments, length of stay. Models were adjusted for age, race, sex, comorbidity, socioeconomic class and procedure type. Secondary outcome: practice-level office visits by surgical group type. RESULTS: The number of advanced practice providers increased by 13%, from 6713 to 7596 between 2010 and 2016. The largest relative increases occurred in general (46.9%) and urologic (27.6%) surgical practices. The year after an advanced practice provider was added to a surgical practice, the odds of complications were 17% and 16% lower at 30- and 90-days postprocedure, respectively. Additionally, 90-day readmissions were 18% less likely and length of stay was 0.33 days shorter (a 7.1% reduction). Average 30-day and90-day episode spending was $1294.73 and $1427.76 lower, respectively ( P < 0.001). General surgical, orthopedic, and urology practices realized increases of 49.0 (95% CI 13.5-84.5), 112.0 (95% CI 83.0-140.5), and 205.0 (95% CI 117.5-292.0) in-office visits per surgeon, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of advanced practice providers to single-specialty surgical groups is associated with improvements in surgical outcomes and access. Future work should clarify the mechanisms by which advanced practice providers within surgical practices contribute to health outcomes to identify best practices for deployment.

Association of Medicare Beneficiary and Hospital Accountable Care Organization Alignment With Surgical Cost Savings.

Importance: Although Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs) account for half of program expenditures, whether ACOs are associated with surgical spending warrants further study. Objective: To assess whether greater beneficiary-hospital ACO alignment was associated with lower surgical episode costs. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2020 and 2022 using US Medicare data from a 20% random sample of beneficiaries. Individuals 18 years of age and older and without kidney failure who had a surgical admission between 2008 and 2015 were included. For each study year, distinction was made between beneficiaries assigned to an ACO and those who were not, as well as between admissions to ACO-participating and nonparticipating hospitals. Exposures: Time-varying binary indicators for beneficiary ACO assignment and hospital ACO participation and an interaction between them. Main Outcomes and Measures: Ninety-day, price-standardized total episode payments. Multivariable 2-way fixed-effects models were estimated. Results: During the study period, 2 797 337 surgical admissions (6% of which involved ACO-assigned beneficiaries) occurred at 3427 hospitals (17% ACO participating). Total Medicare payments for 90-day surgical episodes were lowest when ACO-assigned beneficiaries underwent surgery at a hospital participating in the same ACO as the beneficiary ($26 635 [95% CI, $26 426-$26 844]). The highest payments were for unassigned beneficiaries treated at participating hospitals ($27 373 [95% CI, $27 232-$27 514]) or nonparticipating hospitals ($27 303 [95% CI, $27 291-$27 314]). Assigned beneficiaries treated at hospitals participating in a different ACO and assigned beneficiaries treated at nonparticipating hospitals had similar payments (for participating hospitals, $27 003 [95% CI, $26 739-$27 267] and for nonparticipating hospitals, $26 928 [95% CI, $26 796-$27 059]). A notable factor in the observed differences in surgical episode costs was lower spending on postacute care services. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study evaluating hospital and beneficiary ACO alignment and surgical spending, savings were noted for beneficiaries treated at hospitals in the same ACO. Allowing ACOs to encourage or require surgical procedures in their own hospitals could lower Medicare spending on surgery.

The Growth of Advanced Practice Providers in Urology Procedural Care: Evidence from Public and Private Health Insurers.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the growing role of advanced practice providers (APPs) in urologic care, we investigated urology procedural claims submitted to public and private health insurers. METHODS: We used Medicare summary and commercial health insurance claims from 2010 to 2020 to calculate the number and proportion of common urologic procedures performed by APPs. To characterize broader trends across urology, we categorized the urologic procedures into five groups: cancer procedures, cystoscopy procedures, imaging procedures, urgent procedures, and voiding dysfunction. RESULTS: APPs submitted an increasing proportion of Medicare and commercial urology procedural claims between 2010 and 2020 (2% and 1% more claims, respectively), including several procedure groups: voiding dysfunction (12% and 4%), urgent procedures (8% and 5%), cancer procedures (3% and 2%), and cystoscopy procedures (1% and 1%). APPs consistently submitted a larger proportion of claims to Medicare than private insurers and, as of 2019, voiding dysfunction and cancer procedures were the most common urologic procedures performed by APPs in the Medicare data (82,749 and 73,837 procedures, respectively). In 2020, procedures with the greatest proportion of Medicare and commercial claims submitted by APPs included percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (24% and 10% of claims, respectively), bladder installations (16% and 8%), neurostimulator programming (14% and 7%), and complicated Foley catheter placement (12% and 7%). CONCLUSION: APPs account for a growing proportion of urology procedural claims submitted to public and private health insurers. Stakeholders need to be aware of these changes in the urologic workforce to maintain the standard of care across urology.

Prostate Cancer With Peritoneal Carcinomatosis: A Robotic-assisted Radical Prostatectomy-based Case Series.

OBJECTIVE: To aid in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with metastatic tumor seeding, an exceedingly rare phenomenon following minimally invasive urological surgery, additional case reports are needed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report our experience with patients determined to have peritoneal carcinomatosis following robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and provide a descriptive summary of these unique cases. RESULTS: Five cases of peritoneal carcinomatosis were identified, all of which occurred relatively late-between 8 and 13 years-following RARP. Four of the 5 cases had T3 disease at the time of prostatectomy. 68Ga-PSMA PET identified peritoneal carcinomatosis in 3 of 5 cases. CONCLUSION: Certain clinical factors, such as advanced pathologic stage at the time of prostatectomy, may predict risk for carcinomatosis following RARP. Additionally, next-generation imaging modalities, such as PSMA PET, may aid in identifying these metastases and are likely to identify increasing numbers of these patients as next-generation imaging becomes more widely available. Continued documentation and classification of this atypical presentation are needed to improve our understanding and management of this phenomenon.

Impact of Advanced Practice Provider Integration into Multispecialty Group Practices on Outcomes Following Major Surgery.

Background. While advanced practice providers (APPs) are increasingly integrated into care delivery models, little is known about their impact in surgical settings. Given that many patients undergo surgery in multispecialty group practice settings, we examined the impact of APP integration into such practices on outcomes after major surgery. Methods. We used a 20% sample of national Medicare claims to identify 190 101 patients who underwent 1 of 4 major surgeries (coronary artery bypass graft [CABG], colectomy, major joint replacement, and cystectomy) at multispecialty group practices from 2010 through 2016. The level of APP integration was measured as the ratio of APPs to physicians within each practice. Rates of mortality, major complications, and readmission within 30 days of discharge after the index surgery were compared between patients treated in practices with low, medium, and high levels of APP integration using multivariable regression analysis. Results. Relative to patients treated in practices with low APP integration, those treated in practices with medium or high APP integration had significantly lower rates of mortality (2.4% [low integration] vs 1.9% [medium integration] vs 2.0% [high integration]; P < .01), major complications (34.1% [low] vs 31.2% [medium] vs 30.2% [high]; P < .01), and readmission (11.7% [low] vs 10.6% [medium] vs 10.1% [high]; P < .01). This relationship was consistent for virtually all outcomes when considering each surgery type individually. Conclusions. Integration of APPs into multispecialty group practices was associated with improved postoperative outcomes after major surgery. Future research should identify the mechanisms by which APPs improve outcomes to inform optimal utilization.

Clinical and pathological features of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma (PEComa): A single institution series.

Renal angiomyolipomas are benign tumors of the kidney that belong to the 'PEComa: perivascular epithelioid cell' family. Epithelioid AMLs (eAML) are a rare monotypic subtype with malignant potential, that can occur sporadically or be associated with tuberous sclerosis (TSC). Due to their epithelioid nature, eAMLs can closely resemble high-grade renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which may result in misdiagnosis. Multiple clinicopathologic parameters are predictive of worse outcomes for patients with eAML. Those can be used to stratify patients into groups with low, intermediate and high risk for disease progression. A high index of suspicion and a thorough immunohistochemical study are required to correctly diagnose eAML. Radiographically, eAMLs are also a diagnostic challenge as they share features with RCC on CT and MR imaging. Due to this close mimicry, the true incidence of eAML is thought to be much higher than 200 cases as reported in the literature. We report a series of four patients diagnosed with eAML and compare their clinical courses. We also report on the successful treatment of a patient with pulmonary metastasis from eAML using the mTOR inhibitor, everolimus. By identifying eAML and recognizing its high-risk features, it is possible mTOR inhibitors may have a meaningful role in the adjuvant treatment of these patients.

Aortic valve replacement among patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has made palliation from aortic stenosis more broadly available to populations previously thought to be too high risk for surgery, such as those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD); however, its safety and effectiveness in this context are uncertain. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of national Medicare beneficiaries, aged 66 and older with Parts A and B, between 2010 and 2016. Patients undergoing AVR were identified, and follow-up was available through 2017. Multivariable regression was used to measure the independent association between having a diagnosis of ADRD at the time of AVR, stratified by TAVR and surgery, and outcomes (mortality and Medicare institutional days at 1 year after AVR). RESULTS: The average rate of increase in AVR per year was 17.5 cases per 100,000 ADRD and 8.4 per 100,000 non-ADRD beneficiaries, largely driven by more rapid adoption of TAVR. Adjusted mortality following AVR declined significantly between those treated in 2010 and 2016, from 13.5% (95% CI 10.2%-17.7%) to 6.3% (95% CI 5.2%-7.6%) and from 13.7% (95% CI 12.7%-14.7%) to 6.3% (95% CI 5.8%-6.9%) in those with and without ADRD, respectively. The sharpest decline was noted for patients undergoing TAVR between 2011 and 2016, with adjusted mortality declining from 19.9% (95% CI 11.2%-32.8%) to 5.2% (95% CI 4.1%-6.5%) and from 12.2% (95% CI 9.3%-15.8%) to 5.0% (95% CI 4.4%-5.6%) in patients with and without ADRD, respectively. Similar declines were evident for Medicare institutional days in the year after AVR in both patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of AVR in those with ADRD increased during the past decade largely driven by the diffusion of TAVR. The use of TAVR in this vulnerable population did not come at the expense of increasing Medicare institutional days or mortality at 1-year.

Testing-Related Health Impact of Transrectal and Transperineal Prostate Biopsy as Assessed by Health Utilities.

PURPOSE: We sought to assess the temporary health-related quality of life (health utility) of nonmagnetic resonance imaging-guided transrectal and transperineal prostate biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a 2-arm, prospectively enrolled, observational, patient-reported outcomes study, performed between June 2019 and November 2020 at a single academic medical center. Inclusion criteria were men undergoing an outpatient ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (transrectal or transperineal approach, without magnetic resonance imaging guidance). Patients with a history of Gleason 7+ prostate cancer were excluded. Validated survey instruments were utilized to assess baseline (Short Form 12) and testing-related (Testing Morbidities Index [TMI]) health utility states. The primary outcome was the TMI summary testing-related quality-of-life score (summary utility score; scale: 0=death and 1=perfect health). The TMI is comprised of 7 domains, spanning before, during and after testing experiences. Each domain is scored from 1 (no health impact) to 5 (extreme health impact). Testing-related quality-of-life measures were compared with Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Enrollment rates were 80% (60/75; transrectal) and 86% (60/70; transperineal). All patients (120/120) completed the questionnaire. The TMI summary score for transrectal biopsy was not significantly different from transperineal biopsy (0.86, 95% CI 0.84-0.88 vs 0.83, 95% CI 0.81-0.85; p=0.0774). The largest difference in the testing experiences was related to intraprocedural pain (transrectal biopsy: 2.3, 95% CI 2.1-2.4; transperineal biopsy: 2.9, 95% CI 2.6-3.1; p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Transperineal and transrectal prostate biopsies have similar effect on temporary health-related quality-of-life. Transient differences relate to intraprocedural pain. These data can inform clinical decision making and future cost-utility models.

Urology Workforce Changes and Implications for Prostate Cancer Care Among Medicare Enrollees.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize national trends in urologist workforce, practice organization, and management of incident prostate cancer. METHODS: Using Medicare claims data from 2010 to 2016, we identified all urologists billing Medicare and the practice with which they were affiliated. We characterized groups as solo, small single specialty, large single specialty, multispecialty, specialist, or hospital-owned practices. Using a 20% sample of national Medicare claims, we identified all patients with incident prostate cancer and identified their primary treatment. RESULTS: The number of urologists increased from 9,305 in 2010 to 9,570 in 2016 (P = .03), while the number of practices decreased from 3,588 to 2,861 (P < .001). The proportion of urologists in multispecialty groups increased from 17.1% in 2010 to 28.2% in 2016, while those within solo practices declined from 26.2% to only 15.8% over the same time period. A higher proportion of patients at hospital-owned practices were treated with observation (P < .001) and surgery (P < .001), while a higher proportion of patients at large single specialty practices were treated with radiation therapy (P < .001). CONCLUSION: We characterized shifts in urologist membership from smaller, independent groups to larger, multispecialty or hospital-owned practices. This trend coincides with higher utilization of observation and surgical treatment for prostate cancer.

Cost-Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Urothelial Carcinoma-A Review.

Over the last decade, an increasing number of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been assessed for therapeutic efficacy in urothelial carcinoma (UC). The high cost has prompted multiple cost-effectiveness analyses for the various disease stages, with no established consensus. We reviewed the literature to assess the available cost-effectiveness studies and summarize their findings. Studies were filtered for a calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) to standardize comparison. Over 2600 articles were narrowed to eight primary investigations: one for BCG-refractory non-muscle invasive (NMI), one for neoadjuvant therapy in muscle-invasive (MI), and six for advanced disease. Cost-effectiveness was not achieved for NMI disease. Atezolizumab met the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold as neoadjuvant therapy for MI disease compared to chemotherapy, but with multiple limitations on the interpretation. Of the six studies on advanced disease, the results were mixed. This was at least partially attributable to varied methodologies including extrapolated time horizons, inconsistent cost inputs, and different WTP thresholds. Overall, the aggregate results were not compelling enough to establish ICIs as cost-effective compared to conventional chemotherapy. Value may improve with continued investigation into long-term outcomes, refined patient selection, and pricing discounts.

Medicare Accountable Care Organizations and the Adoption of New Surgical Technology.

BACKGROUND: Dissemination of new surgical technology is a major contributor to healthcare spending growth. Accountable care organization (ACO) policy aims to control spending while maintaining quality. As a result, ACOs provide incentive for hospitals to selectively adopt newer procedures with high value. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a 20% sample of national Medicare claims from 2010 to 2015. We identified hospitals that performed 1 of 6 sets of procedures: abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aortic valve replacement, carotid endarterectomy or stent, lung lobectomy, colectomy, and prostatectomy. We identified hospitals participating in a Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO and a set of matched non-ACO control hospitals. We used a difference-in-differences approach to compare rate of surgical treatment and use of newer surgical technology for each set of procedures in ACO and non-ACO hospitals. RESULTS: We included 707 ACO-hospitals and 1,770 control hospitals. ACO hospitals performed surgery for carotid stenosis at a lower rate than non-ACO hospitals. There was no difference in the rate of surgical treatment for all other procedure sets. ACO hospitals were less likely to use an endovascular approach for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (85.2% vs 88.2%, p < 0.001) and more likely to use a minimally invasive approach for lung lobectomy (42.2% vs 34.7%, p = 0.004) than non-ACO hospitals. In difference-in-differences analysis, ACO participation was not associated with any significant difference in use of surgical care for any of the 6 procedure sets, nor with any significant difference in use of newer surgical technology. CONCLUSIONS: Despite ACO policy incentives to selectively adopt newer surgical technology, ACO participation was not associated with differences in rate of surgery or use of newer surgical technology for 6 major surgical procedures.

Medicare Accountable Care Organizations Reduce Spending on Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical care among older adults is costly. While Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs) are designed around primary care, there are reasons to believe that participation may also affect spending on surgery. This study examines the impact that Medicare ACO alignment has on spending for inpatient and outpatient surgical care. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using national Medicare claims (2008 through 2015). Among a 20% random sample of beneficiaries, we identified adults 65 years of age and older enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare, distinguishing between those aligned and unaligned with a Medicare ACO. We then measured payments for surgical services made on their behalf. Finally, we fit multivariable regression models to evaluate the association between ACO alignment and spending for inpatient and outpatient surgical care. RESULTS: We identified 37,249,845 beneficiary-year observations, of which 2,950,188 (7.9%) were aligned with a Medicare ACO. After adjustment for patient factors, ACO alignment was associated with $181 [95% confidence interval (CI), -$243 to -$118; P <0.001] lower spending per beneficiary-year. ACO alignment was associated with 2.9% fewer inpatient surgical episodes per year [incidence rate ratio (IRR), 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96 to 0.98; P <0.001] but 2.3% more outpatient episodes per year (IRR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.03; P <0.001). Among inpatient surgical episodes, average payments were $956 lower for ACO aligned beneficiaries (95%CI -$1218 to -$694, P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: ACO alignment was associated with savings on surgical care. These savings resulted from increased outpatient surgery and reduced use of inpatient surgery as well as reduced spending per inpatient surgical episode. Greater focus on surgical care may improve the ability of ACOs to control healthcare spending.