Lee Squitieri

A national study to evaluate trends in the utilization of nerve reconstruction for treatment of neonatal brachial plexus palsy [outcomes article].

Background: Approximately 4 to 34 percent of infants born with neonatal brachial plexus palsy do not recover spontaneously and require surgery. Despite the increasing availability of microsurgical nerve repair, the authors hypothesize that this condition remains undertreated and that uninsured children and children with public insurance are less likely to receive treatment than those with private insurance. Methods: The authors used a national sample of inpatient hospital discharge data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Kids Inpatient Databases for the years 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006. Relevant discharges were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis code 767.6 for neonatal brachial plexus palsy and procedure codes relating to nerve surgery. Weighted frequencies were calculated to generate national estimates for neonatal brachial plexus palsy births and nerve surgery procedures for these patients. Results: A total of 21,758 births with neonatal brachial plexus palsy and 721 admissions for nerve surgery were identified. Over time, utilization of nerve surgery procedures has generally increased (1.1 percent in 1997 to 3.2 percent in 2006). Treatment with nerve surgery varied significantly according to insurance status—3.8 percent among private insurance discharges, 2.9 percent among Medicaid insurance discharges, and 0.7 percent among self-pay/uninsured records (p < 0.001). The mean age among nerve surgery patients was 235 ± 75 days, and the mean total charges associated with microsurgical intervention was

Medical decision-making among adolescents with neonatal brachial plexus palsy and their families: A qualitative study

24,534 ±

The Role of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Value-Based Payment Reform

30,460. Conclusions: Over the past decade, approximately 3.3 percent of neonatal brachial plexus palsy births have undergone some form of primary microsurgical nerve surgical intervention, which may reflect underutilization of these procedures and limited access to care. Insurance status plays a significant role in the use of nerve surgery procedures, as neonates without private insurance were less likely to receive nerve surgery procedures than those with private insurance.

A 5-Year Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Silicone Metacarpophalangeal Arthroplasty in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background: Elective surgical management of neonatal brachial plexus palsy is complex, variable, and often individualized. Little is known about the medical decision-making process among adolescents with neonatal brachial plexus palsy and their families when faced with making complex treatment decisions. The experiences of these patients and their parents were analyzed to identify key factors in the decision-making process. Methods: Eighteen adolescents with residual neonatal brachial plexus palsy deficits between 10 and 17 years and their parents were included. Qualitative research design was used involving separate, 1-hour, in person, semistructured interviews, which were audio recorded and transcribed. Grounded theory was applied by two members of the research team to identify recurrent themes and create a codebook that was applied to the data. Results: Medical decision-making among adolescents with neonatal brachial plexus palsy and their families is multifaceted and individualized, composed of both patient- and system-dependent factors. Four codes were identified: (1) knowledge acquisition, (2) multidisciplinary care, (3) adolescent autonomy, and (4) patient expectations and treatment desires. Overall, parental decision-making was heavily influenced by system-dependent factors, whereas adolescents largely based their decisions on individual treatment desires to improve function and/or aesthetics. Conclusions: There are many areas for improving the delivery of information and health care organization among adolescents with neonatal brachial plexus palsy and their families. The authors recommend the development of educational interdisciplinary programs and decision aids containing evidence-based management guidelines targeted toward primary care providers and patients. The authors believe that a computer-based learning module may provide the best avenue to achieve maximum penetrance and convenience of information sharing. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Care Transfers for Patients With Upper Extremity Trauma: Influence of Health Insurance Type

The U.S. health care system is currently experiencing profound change. Pressure to improve the quality of patient care and control costs have caused a rapid shift from traditional volume-driven fee-for-service reimbursement to value-based payment models. Under the 2015 Medicare Access and Childrens Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, providers will be evaluated on the basis of quality and cost efficiency and ultimately receive adjusted reimbursement as per their performance. Although current performance metrics do not incorporate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), many wonder whether and how PROMs will eventually fit into value-based payment reform. On November 17, 2016, the second annual Patient-Reported Outcomes in Healthcare Conference brought together international stakeholders across all health care disciplines to discuss the potential role of PROs in value-based health care reform. The purpose of this article was to summarize the findings from this conference in the context of recent literature and guidelines to inform implementation of PROs in value-based payment models. Recommendations for evaluating key perspectives and measurement goals are made to facilitate appropriate use of PROMs to best benefit and amplify the voice of our patients.

Funding Research in the Twenty-First Century: Current Opinions and Future Directions

Background: There is a paucity of research evaluating the cost-effectiveness of surgical interventions for rheumatoid arthritis patients. Previous reports have challenged the sustainability of improved outcomes after silicone metacarpophalangeal arthroplasty. The authors conducted an economic evaluation of the long-term health outcomes after silicone metacarpophalangeal arthroplasty. Methods: The authors performed a 5-year prospective cohort study of 170 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (73 surgical and 97 nonsurgical). Objective functional measurements and patient-rated outcomes using the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire and the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale 2 were collected at 3 and 5 years. A cost-effectiveness analysis using direct costs from Medicare outpatient claims data (2006 to 2010) was performed to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for both the Michigan and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale 2 measurements. Results: At 5 years, the authors observed a statistically significant difference in upper extremity outcomes (Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire) between the two groups, with surgical patients having higher outcomes. Costs associated with improved outcomes 5 years after surgery were

Measuring Provider Performance for Physicians Participating in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System

787 to

Consistency of pressure injury documentation across interfacility transfers

1150 when measured by the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire and

Evaluation of the Present-on-Admission Indicator among Hospitalized Fee-for-Service Medicare Patients with a Pressure Ulcer Diagnosis: Coding Patterns and Impact on Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Rates

49,843 to

Understanding Quality of Life and Patient Expectations Among Adolescents With Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy: A Qualitative and Quantitative Pilot Study

149,530 when measured by the Arthritis Impact scale. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios did not substantially increase with their observed surgical revision rate of 5.5 percent (approximately 4 percent increase in incremental cost-effectiveness ratio) or with previously published long-term revision rates of 6.2 percent (approximately 6 percent increase in incremental cost-effectiveness ratio). Conclusions: Short-term improvements in upper extremity outcomes after silicone metacarpophalangeal arthroplasty are maintained over the 5-year follow-up period. These outcomes are achieved at a relatively low cost, even with the addition of potential surgical complications.