Obtaining and Modeling Variability in Travel Times From Off-Site Satellite Clinics to Hospitals and Surgery Centers for Surgeons and Proceduralists Seeing Office Patients in the Morning and Performing a To-Follow List of Cases in the Afternoon.

BACKGROUND: Hospitals achieve growth in surgical caseload primarily from the additive contribution of many surgeons with low caseloads. Such surgeons often see clinic patients in the morning then travel to a facility to do 1 or 2 scheduled afternoon cases. Uncertainty in travel time is a factor that might need to be considered when scheduling the cases of to-follow surgeons. However, this has not been studied. We evaluated variability in travel times within a city with high traffic density. METHODS: We used the Google Distance Matrix application programming interface to prospectively determine driving times incorporating current traffic conditions at 5-minute intervals between 9:00 AM and 4:55 PM during the first 4 months of 2018 between 4 pairs of clinics and hospitals in the University of Miami health system. Travel time distributions were modeled using lognormal and Burr distributions and compared using the absolute and signed differences for the median and the 0.9 quantile. Differences were evaluated using 2-sided, 1-group t tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. We considered 5-minute signed differences between the distributions as managerially relevant. RESULTS: For the 80 studied combinations of origin-to-destination pairs (N = 4), day of week (N = 5), and the hour of departure between 10:00 AM and 1:55 PM (N = 4), the maximum difference between the median and 0.9 quantile travel time was 8.1 minutes. This contrasts with the previously published corresponding difference between the median and the 0.9 quantile of 74 minutes for case duration. Travel times were well fit by Burr and lognormal distributions (all 160 differences of medians and of 0.9 quantiles <5 minutes; P < .001). For each of the 4 origin-destination pairs, travel times at 12:00 PM were a reasonable approximation to travel times between the hours of 10:00 AM and 1:55 PM during all weekdays. CONCLUSIONS: During mid-day, when surgeons likely would travel between a clinic and an operating room facility, travel time variability is small compared to case duration prediction variability. Thus, afternoon operating room scheduling should not be restricted because of concern related to unpredictable travel times by surgeons. Providing operating room managers and surgeons with estimated travel times sufficient to allow for a timely arrival on 90% of days may facilitate the scheduling of additional afternoon cases especially at ambulatory facilities with substantial underutilized time.

Current Trends in Breast Augmentation: Analysis of 2011-2015 Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Tracer Data.

BACKGROUND: Breast augmentation is the most common aesthetic surgery performed in the United States. Despite its popularity, there is no consensus on many aspects of the procedure. OBJECTIVES: The authors assessed current trends and changes in breast augmentation from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study of 11,756 women who underwent breast augmentation based on the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) Maintenance of Certification Tracer Database was performed. RESULTS: There were clearly dominant trends in how ABPS-certified plastic surgeons performed breast augmentations. Most surgeries were performed in freestanding outpatient (47.3%) or office operating room (33.7%). The inframammary fold incision was most popular (75.1%), followed by periareolar (17.8%) and transaxillary approaches (4.1%). Implants were more commonly placed in a submuscular pocket (30.6%) compared with dual plane (26.7%) or subglandular (6.7%). Silicone implants (66.8%) were favored over saline (25.1%), with a statistically significant increase in silicone prostheses from 2011 to 2015. Data were "not applicable" or "other" in the remainder of cases. Administration of both preoperative antibiotics (3.8% in 2011, 98.7% in 2015, P < 0.05) and deep venous thromboembolism (DVT) prophylaxis (3.8% in 2011, 90.6% in 2015, P < 0.05) dramatically increased during the study period. Overall adverse events (7.4%) and reoperation rates (2.2%) were low. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in standard of care for breast augmentation are reflected by the evolving practice patterns of plastic surgeons. This is best evidenced by the dramatic increase in use of antibiotic and DVT prophylaxis from 2011 to 2015.

Trends of Pediatric Dental Rehabilitation Using General Anesthesia by Service Location During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, 2019 to 2021.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the trends of pediatric dental rehabilitation in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) from 2019 to 2021 across states and demographic groups. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized the 2019 to 2021 Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytical Files to examine trends in dental rehabilitation for children ages 12 years and younger enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program. The final analytic sample included 20,508,093 beneficiaries from 2019, 19,436,957 beneficiaries from 2020, and 20,416,440 beneficiaries from 2021. Chi-square tests were used to compare dental rehabilitation usage across groups (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and place of service). Results: Rehabilitation of Medicaid beneficiaries performed in HOPDs showed a decrease year over year (51 to 34 to 30; P<0.001), while the usage in ASCs increased (1,307 to 1,310 to 1,367; P<0.001). For all three years, the highest usage was seen in Non-Hispanic (NH) American Indian/Alaskan Native children (154, 66, 74; P<0.001), while the lowest usage was seen in NH Black children (21, 16, 17; P<0.001). Rehabilitation for Hispanic children had the greatest relative recovery over the three years (39 to 34 to 38; P<0.001). Conclusions: Dental rehabilitation usage in ambulatory surgery centers showed continued growth through the public health emergency. There was significant variation in rates across states and demographics.

Growth of ambulatory surgical centers, surgery volume, and savings to medicare.

We studied the impact of the growth of ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) on total Medicare procedure volume and ASC market share from 2000 to 2009 for four common outpatient procedures: cataract surgery, upper gastrointestinal procedures, colonoscopy, and arthroscopy. ASC growth was not significantly associated with Medicare volume, except for colonoscopy. An additional ASC operating room per 100,000 population results in a 1.8% increase in colonoscopies performed in all outpatient settings. Increases in the number of ASCs were associated with greater ASC market share with effects ranging from 4- to 6-percentage-point gains for each additional ASC operating room per 100,000. The study demonstrates that continued growth of ASCs could reduce Medicare spending, because ASCs are paid a fraction of the amount paid to hospital outpatient departments for the same services.

[Formation of centers in general and abdominal surgery -- necessity or trend?]. / Zentrenbildung in der Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie - Notwendigkeit oder Trend?

The introduction of the DRG (diagnosis-related groups) system as basis for reimbursement in the German health-care system has led to a mentality of quality orientation and verification of therapeutic results. An immediate result was the formation of medical "centres" on rather different levels and consequently the inauguration of institutions, authorities, and organisations to review these centres. Finally, a range of certifications was installed in order to stratify the rather diverse aims of different centres. This review critically evaluates the current situation in the field of general and abdominal surgery in Germany.

[Intensive care and resuscitation in reconstructive surgery: 50 years of progress].

The article deals with fundamental stages of resuscitation and intensive therapy development in reconstructive surgery during 50 years of Petrovsky National Research Centre of RAMS functioning. Appreciation was given to academician of RAMS R.N.Lebedeva for outstanding services in local public health, as organizer of the one of the first specialized resuscitation and intensive care departments in our country. Researches in the department are traditionally oriented to the diagnostic methods development, prevention and intensive care of vital functions violations in patients after reconstructive operations. It helped to limit contraindications for surgery and to implement radical surgery in patients with severe concomitant diseases, as well as to reduce the number of postoperative complications and mortality

The changing geography of outpatient procedures.

Since the early 80s, many surgical procedures have moved from the inpatient to outpatient setting. Outpatient surgical visits now account for about two-thirds of all surgical visits in the U.S. Over the same period, freestanding ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have arisen as alternatives to traditional hospital-based outpatient surgical departments. The number of ASCs grew from 240 in 1983 to 5,174 in 2008. The growth of ASCs raises safety concerns about the risk of complications and adequate access to emergency care. This Issue Brief summarizes evidence from one state about the changing geography of outpatient procedures and the possible risks associated with these changes.

Effect of Center of Excellence requirement by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on practice trends.

BACKGROUND: To report the effect of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery or American College of Surgeons-designated Centers of Excellence designation in Michigan on our practice trends and patient populations. As of February 2006, weight loss surgery for Medicare beneficiaries are reimbursed when procedures are performed at American Society of Bariatric Surgery or American College of Surgeons-designated Centers of Excellence. METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery by an individual surgeon from June 1 to October 31 in 2004, 2005, and 2006 were stratified according to use of private third-party insurance versus Medicare (MC) insurance. The demographic data, body mass index, numbers of medications and co-morbidities, operative time, lengths of stay, morbidity, and mortality were analyzed. Significance was assessed at P <.05. RESULTS: From June 1 to October 31 in 2004, 2005, and 2006, 255 patients with MC or private third-party insurance underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, with the percentage of MC patients increasing from 15.3% and 10.2% in 2004 and 2005 to 30.9% in 2006. The MC patients were older (56.1 +/- 1.3 yr versus 44.1 +/- 0.7 yr; mean +/- standard error of mean), had more co-morbidities (5.1 +/- 0.2 versus 3.5 +/- 0.1), required more medications (10.3 +/- 0.6 versus 5.6 +/- 0.3), had undergone more previous operations (2.1 +/- 0.2 versus 1.3 +/- 0.1), and had longer operative times (148 +/- 11.1 versus 121 +/- 3.1 min) than the private third-party insurance patients; the differences were all significant. The differences in gender, body mass index, and length of stay were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements for Centers of Excellence designation resulted in a significant increase in the Medicare case load within our institution. This population tended to be older and more complex, with longer operative times. The changes present new challenges in patient care, including the coordination of care for the multiple co-morbidities of older obese patients with a multispecialty care team.

[General surgery under discussion. From the viewpoint of thoracic surgery]. / Allgemeinchirurgie in der Diskussion. Aus Sicht der Thoraxchirurgie.

The development of surgery in Germany was correct and to the point. General surgery was the field from which all specialization grew. Surgical fields today must comply with scientific demands and medical progress. They can remain successful only if the various branches respond to developments in respect to minimum capacities, procedural and structural conditions, and specialized education and training. "General surgery" as a basic foundation provides an important cross-section of the eight-pronged model of the various specializations. As such it is able to deliver effectively a broad spectrum of good patient care. The network of thoracal surgical centers guarantees sufficient and efficient emergent care, because the more beams, the stronger is the roof. At the same time we must remain responsive to developments in the European Union as a whole. Determination and a progressive view by all surgical societies allow the kind of structuring that will guarantee the future of general surgery. We must inspire our new trainees!

The Impact of Price Transparency for Surgical Services.

Increasing insurance deductibles have prompted some medical centers to initiate transparent pricing. However, the impact of price transparency (PT) on surgical volume, revenue, and patient satisfaction is unknown, along with the barriers to achieving PT. We identified ambulatory surgical centers in the Free Market Medical Association database that publicly list prices for surgical services online. Six of eight centers (75%) responded to our data collection inquiry. Among five centers that reported their patient volume and revenue after adopting PT, patient volume increased by a median of 50 per cent (range 10-200%) at one year. Four centers (80%) reported an increase in revenue by a median of 30 per cent (range 4-75%), whereas three centers (60%) experienced an increase in third-party administrator contracts with the average increase being seven new third-party administrator contracts (range = 2-12 contracts). Three centers (50%) reported a reduction in their administrative burden and five centers (83%) reported an increase in patient satisfaction and patient engagement after PT. The leading barrier reported to making prices transparent was discouragement from another practice, hospital, or insurance company. The findings of this preliminary study may help guide medical practices in designing and implementing PT strategies.

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimation of metabolic and bariatric procedures performed in the United States in 2016.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery, despite being the most successful long-lasting treatment for morbid obesity, remains underused as only approximately 1% of all patients who qualify for surgery actually undergo surgery. To determine if patients in need are receiving appropriate therapy, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery created a Numbers Taskforce to specify annual rate of use for obesity treatment interventions. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine metabolic and bariatric procedure trends since 2011 and to provide the best estimate of the number of procedures performed in the United States in 2016. SETTING: United States. METHODS: We reviewed data from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database, and Nationwide Inpatient Sample. In addition, data from industry and outpatient centers were used to estimate outpatient center activity. Data from 2016 were compared with the previous 5 years of data. RESULTS: Compared with 2015, the total number of metabolic and bariatric procedures performed in 2016 increased from approximately 196,000 to 216,000. The sleeve gastrectomy trend is increasing, and it continues to be the most common procedure. The gastric bypass and gastric band trends continued to decrease as seen in previous years. The percentage of revision procedures and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch procedures increased slightly. Finally, intragastric balloons placement emerged as a significant contributor to the cumulative total number of procedures performed. CONCLUSIONS: There is increasing use of metabolic and bariatric procedures performed in the United States from 2011 to 2016, with a nearly 10% increase noted from 2015 to 2016.

Physician Reimbursement for Prostate Biopsies Falls as Procedures Shift From Offices to Facilities.

OBJECTIVE: To examine how Medicare reimbursement for prostate biopsies was allocated to physicians, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and hospitals from 2012 to 2015. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data (2012-2015), we assessed provider payments to physicians and ASCs for transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies (Current Procedural Terminology 55700, 76842, 76972) for fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries. Data were aggregated at provider-level for those reporting >10 biopsies per year. Hospital payments were estimated based on Outpatient Prospective Payment System. We report average and total payments for physicians, hospitals, and ASCs. RESULTS: We identified 534,807 prostate biopsies, of which 13.3% and 14.8% were associated with an ASC and hospital, respectively. Payments for all biopsies totaled $276.7 million ($152.7 million to physicians; $35.1 million to ASCs, $88.9 million to hospitals). From 2012 through 2015, physician payments for biopsies declined by $19 million (Δ=-43.2%, P = .06 for trend). Payments to ASCs (+$3.2 million, Δ = 38.8%, P = .29) and hospitals (+$11.1 million, Δ = 58.6%, P = .16) both increased. The decline in physician payments was due to a 13.7% decline in volume and lower median reimbursement for office-based procedures ($415 to $277, P = .04). The share of biopsies performed at facilities increased from 26.5% to 30.0%, and the proportion of payments associated with those settings also increased from 42.7% to 65.3%. CONCLUSION: Over time, a greater share of Medicare payments for biopsies has been directed toward facilities instead of physicians. Understanding the relationship between these trends and cancer screening and Medicare payment policies will be crucial in the future.

Does the future of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy lie in the outpatient surgery center? A retrospective study of the safety of 3162 outpatient sleeve gastrectomies.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a safe and effective procedure that can be performed as an outpatient procedure. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine whether same-day discharge LSG is safe when performed in an outpatient surgery center. SETTING: Outpatient surgery centers. METHODS: The medical records of 3162 patients who underwent primary LSG procedure by 21 surgeons at 9 outpatient surgery centers from January 2010 through February 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Three thousand one hundred sixty-two patients were managed with enhanced recovery after surgery protocol and were included in this analysis. The mean age and preoperative body mass index were 43.1 ± 10.8 years and 42.1 ± 7.1 kg/m2, respectively. Sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were seen in 14.4%, 13.5%, 24.7%, 30.4%, and 17.6% patients, respectively. The mean total operative time was 56.4 ± 16.9 minutes (skin to skin). One intraoperative complication (.03%) occurred. The hospital transfer rate was .2%. The 30-day follow-up rate was 85%. The postoperative outcomes were analyzed based on the available data. The 30-day readmission, reoperation, reintervention, and emergency room visit rates were .6%, .6%, .2%, and .1%, respectively. The 30-day mortality rate was 0%. The total short-term complication rate was 2.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Same-day discharge seems to be safe when performed in an outpatient surgery center in selected patients. It would appear that outpatient surgery centers are a viable option for patients with minimal surgical risks.

Understanding Costs of Care in the Operating Room.

Importance: Increasing value requires improving quality or decreasing costs. In surgery, estimates for the cost of 1 minute of operating room (OR) time vary widely. No benchmark exists for the cost of OR time, nor has there been a comprehensive assessment of what contributes to OR cost. Objectives: To calculate the cost of 1 minute of OR time, assess cost by setting and facility characteristics, and ascertain the proportion of costs that are direct and indirect. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis examined annual financial disclosure documents from all comparable short-term general and specialty care hospitals in California from fiscal year (FY) 2005 to FY2014 (N = 3044; FY2014, n = 302). The analysis focused on 2 revenue centers: (1) surgery and recovery and (2) ambulatory surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures: Mean cost of 1 minute of OR time, stratified by setting (inpatient vs ambulatory), teaching status, and hospital ownership. The proportion of cost attributable to indirect and direct expenses was identified; direct expenses were further divided into salary, benefits, supplies, and other direct expenses. Results: In FY2014, a total of 175 of 302 facilities (57.9%) were not for profit, 78 (25.8%) were for profit, and 49 (16.2%) were government owned. Thirty facilities (9.9%) were teaching hospitals. The mean (SD) cost for 1 minute of OR time across California hospitals was $37.45 ($16.04) in the inpatient setting and $36.14 ($19.53) in the ambulatory setting (P = .65). There were no differences in mean expenditures when stratifying by ownership or teaching status except that teaching hospitals had lower mean (SD) expenditures than nonteaching hospitals in the inpatient setting ($29.88 [$9.06] vs $38.29 [$16.43]; P = .006). Direct expenses accounted for 54.6% of total expenses ($20.40 of $37.37) in the inpatient setting and 59.1% of total expenses ($20.90 of $35.39) in the ambulatory setting. Wages and benefits accounted for approximately two-thirds of direct expenses (inpatient, $14.00 of $20.40; ambulatory, $14.35 of $20.90), with nonbillable supplies accounting for less than 10% of total expenses (inpatient, $2.55 of $37.37; ambulatory, $3.33 of $35.39). From FY2005 to FY2014, expenses in the OR have increased faster than the consumer price index and medical consumer price index. Teaching hospitals had slower growth in costs than nonteaching hospitals. Over time, the proportion of expenses dedicated to indirect costs has increased, while the proportion attributable to salary and supplies has decreased. Conclusions and Relevance: The mean cost of OR time is $36 to $37 per minute, using financial data from California's short-term general and specialty hospitals in FY2014. These statewide data provide a generalizable benchmark for the value of OR time. Furthermore, understanding the composition of costs will allow those interested in value improvement to identify high-yield targets.