Unreimbursed Costs of Multidisciplinary Conferences to a Radiology Department: A Prospective Analysis at an Academic Medical Center.

PURPOSE: Multidisciplinary conferences (MDCs) are important for clinical care but are unreimbursed and can be time-consuming for radiologists to prepare for and present. The purpose of this single-center, prospective, survey-based study is to measure the per-conference time and total time radiologists devote to MDCs at a single academic medical center. Secondary objectives are to determine the source of radiologist preparation time, and calculate the per conference and overall radiology departmental costs of MDC participation. METHODS: A prospective survey was performed to capture all radiology preparation and presentation time for MDCs in a 3-month period, which was then annualized. Total cost was calculated on the basis of Association of Administrators in Academic Radiology survey data for nonchair academic radiologist compensation plus a 30% fringe-benefit rate. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 86.9%. A total of 3,358 hours were devoted annually to MDCs, which represents time equivalent to 1.9 full-time equivalents or $1,155,152 in unreimbursed radiology departmental costs. Per-MDC total preparation and presentation time was 2.7 hours, at an annual cost of $46,440 for each weekly MDC. Radiologists used a combination of personal time (49.7%), academic time (42%), and/or clinical time (35.4%) to prepare for MDCs. Radiologists devoted a mean of 47.9 hours (1.2 weeks) of time per annum to MDCs. CONCLUSIONS: Radiologist time devoted to MDCs at the survey institution was substantial, and preparation time was drawn disproportionately from personal and academic time, which may have negative implications for burnout, recruitment and retention, and academic productivity unless it is effectively mitigated.

Positive oral contrast material for CT evaluation of non-traumatic abdominal pain in the ED: prospective assessment of diagnostic confidence and throughput metrics.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the impact of positive oral contrast material (POCM) for non-traumatic abdominal pain on diagnostic confidence, diagnostic rate, and ED throughput. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ED oral contrast guidelines were changed to limit use of POCM. A total of 2,690 abdominopelvic CT exams performed for non-traumatic abdominal pain were prospectively evaluated for diagnostic confidence (5-point scale at 20% increments; 5 = 80-100% confidence) during a 24-month period. Impact on ED metrics including time from CT order to exam, preliminary read, ED length of stay (LOS), and repeat CT scan within 7 days was assessed. A subset of cases (n = 729) was evaluated for diagnostic rate. Data were collected at 2 time points, 6 and 24 months following the change. RESULTS: A total of 38 reviewers were participated (28 trainees, 10 staff). 1238 exams (46%) were done with POCM, 1452 (54%) were performed without POCM. For examinations with POCM, 80% of exams received a diagnostic confidence score of 5 (mean, 4.78 ± 0.43; 99% ≥ 4), whereas 60% of exams without POCM received a score of 5 (mean, 4.51 ± 0.70; 92% ≥ 4; p < .001). Trainees scored 1,523 exams (57%, 722 + POCM, 801 -POCM) and showed even lower diagnostic confidence in cases without PCOM compared with faculty (mean, 4.43 ± 0.68 vs. 4.59 ± 0.71; p < 0.001). Diagnostic rate in a randomly selected subset of exams (n = 729) was 54.2% in the POCM group versus 56.1% without POCM (p < 0.655). CT order to exam time decreased by 31 min, order to preliminary read decreased by 33 min, and ED LOS decreased by 30 min (approximately 8% of total LOS) in the group without POCM compared to those with POCM (p < 0.001 for all). 205 patients had a repeat scan within 7 days, 74 (36%) had IV contrast only, 131 (64%) had both IV and oral contrast on initial exam. Findings were consistent both over a 6-month evaluation period as well as the full 24-month study period. CONCLUSION: Limiting use of POCM in the ED for non-traumatic abdominal pain improved ED throughput but impaired diagnostic confidence, particularly in trainees; however, it did not significantly impact diagnostic rates nor proportion of repeat CT exams.

Utilization and Cancer Yield of Probably Benign Assessment Category in the National Mammography Database: 2009 to 2018.

PURPOSE: Data on utilization rate and cancer yield of BI-RADS® category 3 in routine clinical practice in diagnostic mammography are sparse. The aim of this study was to determine utilization rate and cancer yield of BI-RADS 3 in diagnostic mammography in the ACR National Mammography Database (NMD). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of NMD mammograms from January 1, 2009, to June 30, 2018, was performed. BI-RADS 3 utilization rate in diagnostic setting was calculated and stratified by patient, facility, and examination-level variables. Patient-level cancer yield was calculated among women with BI-RADS 3 assessment and adequate follow-up (imaging follow-up ≥24 months or biopsy). Logistic regression was performed to assess the odds of utilization of BI-RADS 3, with respect to facility, examination, and patient variables, and the odds of malignancy among patients with probably benign findings. Chi-square and t tests were used to determine significance (P < .05). RESULTS: Data from 19,443,866 mammograms from 500 NMD facilities across 31 states were analyzed, of which 3,039,952 were diagnostic mammograms. Utilization rate of BI-RADS 3 was 15.5% (470,155 of 3,039,952) in the diagnostic setting. There was a statistically significant difference in BI-RADS 3 utilization rate across all collected variables (P < .001). Patient-level cancer yield at 2-year follow-up was 0.91% (2,009 of 220,672; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87%-0.95%) in the diagnostic setting. Patient and examination variables associated with significantly higher likelihood of malignancy included calcifications (odds ratio, 4.27; 95% CI, 2.43-7.51), patient age > 70 years (odds ratio, 3.77; 95% CI, 2.49-5.7), and presence of prior comparisons (odds ratio, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.07-1.42). CONCLUSIONS: In the NMD, BI-RADS 3 assessment was common in diagnostic mammography (15.5%), with an overall cancer yield of 0.91%, less than the benchmark of 2%. Utilization trends in diagnostic mammography warrant further research for optimization of use.

The role of the Basic Public Health Service program in the control of hypertension in China: Results from a cross-sectional health service interview survey.

OBJECTIVES: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the main cause of mortality in China. In 2009, the Chinese government introduced the Basic Public Health Service (BPHS) program to relieve the rising burden of NCDs through public health measures and delivery of essential medical care. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the BPHS program on hypertension control. METHODS: The China National Health Development Research Center (CNHDRC) undertook a Cross-sectional Health Service Interview Survey (CHSIS) of 62,097 people from primary healthcare reform pilot areas across 17 provinces from eastern, central, and western parts of China in 2014. The current study is based on responses to the CHSIS survey from 7,867 participants, who had been diagnosed with hypertension. Multi-variable mixed logit regression analysis was used to estimate the association between BPHS management and uncontrolled hypertension. In a follow-up analysis, generalized structural equation modelling (GSEM) was used to test for mediation of the BPHS program effect through patient compliance with medication. FINDINGS: The estimated proportion of patients with uncontrolled hypertension was 30% lower (23.2% vs 31.5%) in those participants who were adequately managed under the BPHS program. Other predictors of hypertension control included compliance with medication, self-reported wellbeing, income, educational attainment and exercise; smoking was associated with reduced hypertension control. The significant inverse association between uncontrolled hypertension and age indicates poor outcomes for younger patients. Additional testing suggested that nearly 40% of the effect of BPHS management (95% CI: 28.2 to 51.7) could be mediated by improved compliance with medication; there was also an indication that the effect of management was 30% stronger in districts/counties with established digital information management systems (IMS). CONCLUSION: Hypertension control improved markedly following active management through the BPHS program. Some of that improvement could be explained by greater compliance with medication among program participants. This study also identified the need to tailor the BPHS program to the needs of younger patients to achieve higher levels of control in this population. Future investigations should explore ways in which existing healthcare management influences the success of the BPHS program.

Case study of the beneficiary group distribution of curative care expenditure based on SHA 2011 in Xinjiang autonomous region, China.

BACKGROUND: The System of Health Accounts 2011 (SHA 2011) assists in health policy analysis and health expenditure comparison at the international level. Based on SHA 2011, this study analysed the distribution of beneficiary groups of curative care expenditure (CCE) in Xinjiang, to present suggestions for developing health policies. METHODS: A total of 160 health institutions were selected using the multistage stratified random sampling method. An analysis of the agewise CCE distribution, institutional flow, and disease distribution was then performed based on the SHA 2011 accounting framework. RESULTS: In 2016, the CCE in Xinjiang was ¥50.05 billion, accounting for 70.18% of current health expenditure and 6.66% of the gross domestic product. The per capita CCE was ¥2366.56. The CCE was distributed differently across age groups, with the highest spending on people over the age of 65 years. The CCE was highest for diseases of the circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems. Most of the expenditure was incurred in hospitals and, to a lesser extent, in primary healthcare institutions. Family health expenditure, especially on children aged 14 years and below, accounted for a relatively high proportion of the CCE. CONCLUSION: SHA 2011 was used to capture data, which was then analysed according to the newly added beneficiary dimension. The findings revealed that the use of medical resources is low, the scale of primary medical institutions needs to be significantly expanded and there is a need to optimise the CCE financing scheme. Therefore, the health policymaking department should optimise the relevant policies and improve the efficiency of health services.

Effect of an outpatient copayment scheme on health outcomes of hypertensive adults in a community-managed population in Xinjiang, China.

Hypertension remains the leading risk factor for death and disability in China, and the ability of hypertensive patients to pay for outpatient care and medication has become a critical issue. To report the effect of an outpatient copayment scheme on health outcomes of hypertensive adults in a community-managed population in Xinjiang, we compared changes in outcomes between insured and uninsured groups from baseline to the first follow-up appointment in a community-managed hypertensive population and evaluated these changes based on propensity score matching and the difference-in-difference method. A total of 1,095 individuals in a community-managed hypertension population were selected for investigation at baseline, among which 805 (73.5%) had follow-up data and 749 (68.4%) were included in our analysis. After accounting for the self-reported severity of hypertension and individual characteristics, there were statistically significant improvements in drug treatment of hypertension and self-reported health. We also found increases in drug treatment for hypertension between groups, after correcting for confounding variables (Odds Ratio, OR 8.05, 95% Confidence interval, CI, 1.31-49.35), and in self-reported health between groups after correcting confounders (OR 1.96, 95% CI, 1.12 to 3.42). Adjusted estimates (confounding variables) were corrected for age, sex, income, marital status, education level, employment, family size, self-reported severity of hypertension, course of hypertension, and number of medications. As a result, decreased outpatient copayment was associated with an increase in antihypertensive treatment coverage, and an improvement in self-reported health among community-managed hypertensive populations in Xinjiang, China.

Quantitative assessment of cervical softening during pregnancy with shear wave elasticity imaging: an in vivo longitudinal study.

We report here the results of a longitudinal study of cervix stiffness during pregnancy. Thirty women, ages ranging from 19 to 37 years, were scanned with ultrasound at five time points beginning at their normal first-trimester screening (8-13 weeks) through term pregnancy (nominally 40 week) using a clinical ultrasound imaging system modified with a special ultrasound transducer and system software. The system estimated the shear wave speed (its square proportional to the shear modulus under idealized conditions) in the cervix. We found a constant fractional reduction (about 4% per week) in shear wave speed with increasing gestational age. We also demonstrated a spatial gradient in shear wave speed along the length of the cervix (softest at the distal end). Results were consistent with our previous ex vivo and in vivo work in women. Shear wave elasticity imaging may be a potentially useful clinical tool for objective assessment of cervical softening in pregnancy.

Using inpatient hospital discharge data to monitor patient safety events.

The development of systematic and sustainable surveillance systems is necessary for the creation of patient safety prevention programs and the evaluation of improvement resulting from innovations. To that end, inpatient hospital discharges collected by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council were used to investigate patient safety events (PSEs) in Pennsylvania in 2006. PSEs were identified using external cause of injury codes (E-codes) in combination with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's patient safety indicators (PSIs). Encounters with and without PSEs were compared with regard to patient age, sex, race, length of stay, and cost. Approximately 9% of all Pennsylvania inpatient discharges had a PSE in 2006. Patients with a PSE were on average older, male, and white. The average length of stay for a PSE was 3 days longer and $35 000 more expensive than a non-PSE encounter. It was concluded that E-codes and PSIs were useful tools for the surveillance of PSEs in Pennsylvania, and that administrative data from healthcare organizations provide a consistent source of standardized data related to patient encounters, creating an opportunity to describe PSEs at the population level.