The Influence of COVID-19 on Utilization of Epidural Procedures in Managing Chronic Spinal Pain in the Medicare Population.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of utilization patterns and variables of epidural injections in the fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare population. OBJECTIVES: To update the utilization of epidural injections in managing chronic pain in the FFS Medicare population, from 2000 to 2020, and assess the impact of COVID-19. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The analysis of the utilization of interventional techniques also showed an annual decrease of 2.5% per 100,000 FFS Medicare enrollees from 2009 to 2018, contrasting to an annual increase of 7.3% from 2000 to 2009. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been assessed. METHODS: This analysis was performed by utilizing master data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, physician/supplier procedure summary from 2000 to 2020. The analysis was performed by the assessment of utilization patterns using guidance from Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. RESULTS: Epidural procedures declined at a rate of 19% per 100,000 Medicare enrollees in the FFS Medicare population in the United States from 2019 to 2020, with an annual decline of 3% from 2010 to 2019. From 2000 to 2010, there was an annual increase of 8.3%. This analysis showed a decline in all categories of epidural procedures from 2019 to 2020. The major impact of COVID-19, with closures taking effect from April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, will be steeper and rather dramatic compared with April 1 to December 31, 2019. However, monthly data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is not available as of now. Overall declines from 2010 to 2019 showed a decrease for cervical and thoracic transforaminal injections with an annual decrease of 5.6%, followed by lumbar interlaminar and caudal epidural injections of 4.9%, followed by 1.8% for lumbar/sacral transforaminal epidurals, and 0.9% for cervical and thoracic interlaminar epidurals. CONCLUSION: Declining utilization of epidural injections in all categories was exacerbated to a decrease of 19% from 2019 to 2020, related, in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic. This followed declining patterns of epidural procedures of 3% overall annually from 2010 to 2019.

COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Utilization Of Interventional Techniques 18.7% In Managing Chronic Pain In The Medicare Population In 2020: Analysis Of Utilization Data From 2000 To 2020.

BACKGROUND: Multiple publications have shown the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on US healthcare and increasing costs over the recent years in managing low back and neck pain as well as other musculoskeletal disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many modalities of treatments, including those related to chronic pain management, including both interventional techniques and opioids. While there have not been assessments of utilization of interventional techniques specific to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, previous analysis published with data from 2000 to 2018 demonstrated a decline in utilization of interventional techniques from 2009 to 2018 of 6.7%, with an annual decline of 0.8% per 100,000 fee-for-service (FFS) in the Medicare population. During that same time, the Medicare population has grown by 3% annually. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this analysis include an evaluation of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an updated assessment of the utilization of interventional techniques in managing chronic pain in the Medicare population from 2010 to 2019, 2010 to 2020, and 2019 to 2020 in the FFS Medicare population of the United States. STUDY DESIGN: Utilization patterns and variables of interventional techniques with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in managing chronic pain were assessed from 2000 to 2020 in the FFS Medicare population of the United States. METHODS: The data for the analysis was obtained from the master database from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) physician/supplier procedure summary from 2000 to 2020. RESULTS: The results of the present investigation revealed an 18.7% decrease in utilization of all interventional techniques per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries from 2019 to 2020, with a 19% decrease for epidural and adhesiolysis procedures, a 17.5% decrease for facet joint interventions and sacroiliac joint blocks, and a 25.4% decrease for disc procedures and other types of nerve blocks. The results differed from 2000 to 2010 with an annualized increase of 10.2% per 100,000 Medicare population compared to an annualized decrease of 0.4% from 2010 to 2019, and a 2.5% decrease from 2010 to 2020 for all interventional techniques. For epidural and adhesiolysis procedures decreases were more significant and annualized at 3.1% from 2010 to 2019, increasing the decline to 4.8% from 2010 to 2020. For facet joint interventions and sacroiliac joint blocks, the reversal of growth patterns was observed but maintained at an annualized rate increase of 2.1% from 2010 to 2019, which changed to a decrease of 0.01% from 2010 to 2020. Disc procedures and other types of nerve blocks showed similar patterns as epidurals with an 0.8% annualized reduction from 2010 to 2019, which was further reduced to 3.6% from 2010 to 2020 due to COVID-19. LIMITATIONS: Data for the COVID-19 pandemic impact were available only for 2019 and 2020 and only the FFS Medicare population was utilized; utilization patterns in Medicare Advantage Plans, which constitutes almost 40% of the Medicare enrollment in 2020 were not available. Moreover, this analysis shares the limitations present in all retrospective reviews of claims based datasets. CONCLUSION: The decline driven by the COVID-19 pandemic was 18.7% from 2019 to 2020. Overall decline in utilization in interventional techniques from 2010 to 2020 was 22.0% per 100,000 Medicare population, with an annual diminution of 2.5%, despite an increase in the population rate of 3.3% annualized (38.9% overall) and Medicare enrollees of 33.4% and 2.9% annually.

Impact Of COVID-19 Pandemic and Updated Utilization Patterns of Sacroiliac Joint Injections from 2000 to 2020 in The Fee-For-Service (FFS) Medicare Population.

BACKGROUND: Among the multiple causes of low back and lower extremity pain, sacroiliac joint pain has shown to be prevalent in 10% to 25% of patients with persistent axial low back pain without disc herniation, discogenic pain, or radiculitis. Over the years, multiple Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes have evolved with the inclusion of intraarticular injections, nerve blocks, and radiofrequency neurotomy, in addition to percutaneous sacroiliac joint fusions. Previous assessments of utilization patterns of sacroiliac joint interventions only included sacroiliac joint intraarticular injections, since the data was not available prior to the introduction of new codes. A recent assessment revealed an increase of 11.3%, and an annual increase of 1.2% per 100,000 Medicare population from 2009 to 2018, showing a decline in growth patterns. During the past 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has also had significant effects on the utilization patterns of sacroiliac joint interventions. STUDY DESIGN: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and analysis of growth patterns of sacroiliac joint interventions (intraarticular injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency neurotomy, arthrodesis and fusion) was evaluated from 2010 to 2019 and 2010 to 2020, with a comparative analysis from 2019 to 2020 to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES: To update utilization patterns of sacroiliac joint interventions with assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary (PSPS) Master dataset was utilized in the present analysis. RESULTS: The results of this evaluation demonstrated a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with a 19.2% decrease of utilization of sacroiliac joint intraarticular injections from 2019 to 2020. There was a 23.3% increase in sacroiliac joint arthrodesis and a 5.3% decrease for sacroiliac joint fusions with small numbers from 2019 to 2020. However, data was not available for sacroiliac joint nerve blocks and sacroiliac joint radiofrequency neurotomy as these codes were incorporated in 2020. Overall, from 2010 to 2019, sacroiliac joint intraarticular injections showed an annual increase of 0.9% per 100,000 Medicare population. Sacroiliac joint arthrodesis and fusion showed an annual increase from 2010 to 2020 per 100,000 Medicare population of 29% for arthrodesis and 13.3% for fusion. LIMITATIONS: Limitations of this study include a lack of inclusion of Medicare Advantage patients constituting approximately 30% to 40% of the overall Medicare population. As with all claims-based data analyses, this study is retrospective and thus potentially limited by bias. Finally, patients who are non-Medicare are not part of the dataset. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with a significant decrease of intraarticular injections of 19.2% from 2019 to 2020 per 100,000 Medicare population. These decreases of intraarticular injections are accompanied by a 5.3% decrease of fusion, but a 23.3% increase of arthrodesis from 2019 to 2020 per 100,000 Medicare population. Overall, the results showed an annual increase of 0.9% per 100,000 Medicare population for intraarticular injections, a 35.4% annual increase for sacroiliac joint arthrodesis and an increase of 15.5% for sacroiliac joint fusion from 2010 to 2019.

Analysis of Reporting Bias in Vertebral Augmentation.

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide, with estimates of 750,000 to 1.5 million occurring annually. As the elderly population continues to increase, the incidence of OVCFs will continue to rise, as will the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. Vertebral augmentation (VA) was almost universally accepted as the appropriate treatment modality prior to 2 sham trials published in 2009 by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Subsequently, there is now significant controversy regarding the optimal treatment of OVCFs. Since 2009 there have been 6 prospective randomized controlled studies (PRCTs) and 2 meta-analyses on VA for the treatment of OVCFs. Five of the PRCTs and both of the meta-analyses have shown superior results with VA as compared with nonsurgical management (NSM). However, a recent health technology assessment and review article continue to over-emphasize the 2 NEJM sham trials, despite the most current literature. These are examples of inconsistent or biased data reporting with overemphasis on certain trial types and exclusion of other types of data, resulting in the reporting of conclusions that are partially representative or not representative of the complete data. As clinical investigators, we have a responsibility to limit bias and ensure that the appropriate treatment modalities are made available to vulnerable populations.The aim of this perspective analysis is to examine sources of bias in reporting and some of the publications that contain it, along with comparing the publications to the current body of published literature relevant to this topic. KEY WORDS: Vertebral augmentation, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, bias, osteoporosis, compression fracture.

Economic Analysis of Kiva VCF Treatment System Compared to Balloon Kyphoplasty Using Randomized Kiva Safety and Effectiveness Trial (KAST) Data.

BACKGROUND: Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are the most common osteoporotic fractures and cause persistent pain, kyphotic deformity, weight loss, depression, reduced quality of life, and even death. Current surgical approaches for the treatment of VCF include vertebroplasty (VP) and balloon kyphoplasty (BK). The Kiva® VCF Treatment System (Kiva System) is a next-generation alternative surgical intervention in which a percutaneously introduced nitinol Osteo Coil guidewire is advanced through a deployment cannula and subsequently a PEEK Implant is implanted incrementally and fully coiled in the vertebral body. The Kiva System's effectiveness for the treatment of VCF has been evaluated in a large randomized controlled trial, the Kiva Safety and Effectiveness Trial (KAST). The Kiva System was non-inferior to BK with respect to pain reduction (70.8% vs. 71.8% in Visual Analogue Scale) and physical function restoration (38.1 % vs. 42.2% reduction in Oswestry Disability Index) while using less bone cement. The economic impact of the Kiva system has yet to be analyzed. OBJECTIVE: To analyze hospital resource use and costs of the Kiva System over 2 years for the treatment of VCF compared to BK. SETTING: A representative US hospital. STUDY DESIGN: Economic analysis of the KAST randomized trial, focusing on hospital resource use and costs. METHODS: The analysis was conducted from a hospital perspective and utilized clinical data from KAST as well as unit-cost data from the published literature. The cost of initial VCF surgery, reoperation cost, device market cost, and other medical costs were compared between the Kiva System and BK. The relative risk reduction rate in adjacent-level fracture with Kiva [31.6% (95% CI: -22.5%, 61.9%)] demonstrated in KAST was used in this analysis. RESULTS: With 304 vertebral augmentation procedures performed in a representative U.S. hospital over 2 years, the Kiva System will produce a direct medical cost savings of $1,118 per patient and $280,876 per hospital. This cost saving with the Kiva System was attributable to 19 reduced adjacent-level fractures with the Kiva System. LIMITATIONS: This study does not compare the Kiva System with VP or any other non-surgical procedures for the treatment of VCF. CONCLUSION: This first-ever economic analysis of the KAST data showed that the Kiva System for vertebral augmentation is hospital resource and cost saving over BK in a hospital setting over 2 years. These savings are attributable to reduced risk of developing adjacent-level fractures with the Kiva System compared to BK.

The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of glenohumeral articular degenerative disease.

Degenerative joint disease is a major source of disability in the world with over 43 million individuals suffering from the affliction in the United States alone. It is the most common cause of activity limitation in individuals over 65 years of age. While much of the focus in recent years has been on osteoarthritis of the hips and knees, shoulder degenerative disease is becoming a more commonly recognized source of morbidity with a wide range of associated lifestyle-limiting disabilities. At the same time therapeutic options for treatment of degenerative joint disease are rapidly increasing, both medically and surgically. This combination of factors makes it necessary to determine a reliable, noninvasive means by which to accurately diagnose the early changes of shoulder degenerative disease. The clinical diagnosis of shoulder osteoarthritis is extremely challenging. There are numerous existing mimickers such as rotator cuff injuries, bursitis, and impingement syndrome. While the conventional radiographic findings are well recognized, they are generally late developments in the course of the disease when therapeutic options are more limited and less effective. Additionally, plain film evaluation has poor sensitivity for the detection of many of the alternative diagnoses that may underlie chronic shoulder pain. Though correlative findings are seen in MR imaging, its role in evaluating glenohumeral degenerative changes has been limited, with much of the focus being on the identification of tendinous and ligamentous disease or osseous tumors. A retrospective analysis is presented which demonstrates the efficacy of MR imaging in assessing GHJ OA, as well as shows that dedicated evaluation for specific degenerative findings results in improved detection rates of GHJ degenerative disease. It is believed that with improved detection and reporting, improved clinical care for this prevalent disorder may be achieved.

Speech recognition interface to a hospital information system using a self-designed visual basic program: initial experience.

Speech recognition (SR) in the radiology department setting is viewed as a method of decreasing overhead expenses by reducing or eliminating transcription services and improving care by reducing report turnaround times incurred by transcription backlogs. The purpose of this study was to show the ability to integrate off-the-shelf speech recognition software into a Hospital Information System in 3 types of military medical facilities using the Windows programming language Visual Basic 6.0 (Microsoft, Redmond, WA). Report turnaround times and costs were calculated for a medium-sized medical teaching facility, a medium-sized nonteaching facility, and a medical clinic. Results of speech recognition versus contract transcription services were assessed between July and December, 2000. In the teaching facility, 2042 reports were dictated on 2 computers equipped with the speech recognition program, saving a total of US dollars 3319 in transcription costs. Turnaround times were calculated for 4 first-year radiology residents in 4 imaging categories. Despite requiring 2 separate electronic signatures, we achieved an average reduction in turnaround time from 15.7 hours to 4.7 hours. In the nonteaching facility, 26600 reports were dictated with average turnaround time improving from 89 hours for transcription to 19 hours for speech recognition saving US dollars 45500 over the same 6 months. The medical clinic generated 5109 reports for a cost savings of US dollars 10650. Total cost to implement this speech recognition was approximately US dollars 3000 per workstation, mostly for hardware. It is possible to design and implement an affordable speech recognition system without a large-scale expensive commercial solution.