Out-of-pocket costs and prescription reversals with oral linezolid.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between benefit design, out-of-pocket costs, and prescription reversals, and the impact of reversals on rehospitalizations and total healthcare costs among Medicare members prescribed oral linezolid. STUDY DESIGN: Medicare members from a national health plan prescribed oral linezolid posthospitalization for skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) or pneumonia were followed retrospectively. METHODS: Members were identified by an oral linezolid prescription between June 1, 2007, and April 30, 2011, where the index event was a prescription fill or reversal less than 2 days before or 10 days after discharge. Associations between out-of-pocket costs and reversal, and between reversal and rehospitalization 30 days postindex, were compared for prescription fills versus reversals. A generalized linear model calculated adjusted total healthcare costs per member controlling for age, sex, geographic region, and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Reversal rates rose progressively from 2% for members with out-of-pocket costs of $0 to 27% for members with out-of-pocket costs higher than $100 (P < .0001). Infection-related rehospitalizations were 23% versus 9% for members with a prescription reversal versus a fill (P < .0001). While postdischarge prescription drug costs were $1228.78 lower (P <.0001), adjusted mean medical costs were $2061.69 higher (P = .0033) and total healthcare costs were $1280.93 higher (P = .0349) for reversal versus fill members. CONCLUSIONS: Higher out-of-pocket costs were associated with higher rates of reversal, and reversals were associated with higher rates of rehospitalization and adjusted total healthcare costs among Medicare members prescribed oral linezolid posthospitalization for SSTI or pneumonia.

Application of the combined quality improvement ratio in the evaluation of a quality improvement activity in a managed care organization.

Assessing the impact of clinically relevant quality improvement activities (QIA) is important to managed care organizations; yet, turnover in enrollment can reduce the data available for analyses, thus decreasing the chance that a difference post-QIA will be detected. The Combined Quality Improvement Ratio (CQuIR) uses matching of patients into pairs pre- and post-QIA to systematically and validly increase the data included in the analysis for evaluation of the QIA. Using a paired cohort study design, 456 pairs of patients with diabetes were identified using the Health Plan Employer Data Information Set (HEDIS) specifications. Patients having retinal examinations were identified pre- and post-QIA. The change in retinal examination rates was analyzed and results compared using repeated pairs (RP), matched pairs (MP), and combined pairs (CP). The CQuIR methodology (which uses CP = RP + MP) resulted in an increase in sample size (n = 456 [CP] versus n = 156 [RP] and n = 300 [MP]) and consequently an increase in power (0.92 [CP] versus 0.38 [RP] and 0.82 [MP]) and a decrease in the confidence interval range (0.97 [CP] versus 2.06 [RP] and 1.14 [MP]). The CQuIR uses a statistically valid approach to increase the data available for the evaluation of QIAs.

Postoperative ileus on a gynecologic oncology service--do abdominal X-rays have a role?

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to estimate the role of abdominal radiographs in the management of the patient with gastrointestinal dysfunction in the early postoperative period following intra-abdominal gynecologic surgery. METHODS: Hospital records were reviewed for 84 patients from the gynecologic oncology service having a clinical diagnosis of either ileus or bowel obstruction immediately after intra-abdominal gynecologic surgery. Patient history, clinical signs and symptoms, findings of plain radiographs, and clinical course were studied to determine whether plain abdominal radiographs were useful in the management of these patients. RESULTS: At least one set of abdominal X-rays was obtained for 56 (66.7%) patients, of which 24 (42.9%) were considered radiographically diagnostic. A lower preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score correlated with a greater likelihood of having abdominal films (P = 0.005). No single clinical finding correlated with either the decision to obtain films or X-ray diagnosis of ileus or bowel obstruction. Use of any nonsurgical treatment modality was not significantly different for patients who had films versus those who did not. Mean length of hospital stay was significantly prolonged for patients who had abdominal X-rays. Seven patients were subjected to reoperation; however, no association was found between X-ray diagnosis of ileus or bowel obstruction and the need for reoperation. CONCLUSION: Plain abdominal radiographs have little clinical utility in the evaluation of patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction in the early postoperative period following intra-abdominal gynecologic surgery. Diagnostic studies such as CT scanning or a GI contrast study may be more helpful in the management of these patients.

Elective induction of labor in multiparous women. Does it increase the risk of cesarean section?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the medical initiation of labor places the multiparous woman at increased risk of cesarean section. STUDY DESIGN: This study was a retrospective, case-control assessment of the risk of cesarean section in multiparas with no medical or obstetric complications and vertex presentations whose induction of labor at term was judged to be elective by chart analysis. Case women were matched for age, parity, gestational age and staff obstetrician with controls in spontaneous labor, and the rates of cesarean delivery were compared. RESULTS: Three hundred four case-control pairs were studied. No significant difference was observed in the rate of cesarean delivery between the two groups. The rate of cesarean section in the electively induced group was 3.6% versus 4.3% in the control group (P = .6670). Neither cervical state nor use of cervical ripening agents significantly affected the rate of cesarean delivery. CONCLUSION: As compared with spontaneous labor, the elective induction of labor in multiparous women without complications does not predispose to cesarean delivery.