Study Finds Considerable Variation in Costs Across Surgeons
Claims Guides points to a study published last month in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (referenced here at PubMed). Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, have looked at the costs for surgical patients entered in the private sector National Surgical Quality Improvement Program at the University of Michigan Medical Center between September 2003 and September 2004. Patient level characteristics and outcomes measures were combined with internal hospital cost data. Analysis was performed at the individual surgeon level, patient factors and procedural complexity remaining constant. The study found large variations - up to 45 percent - and significant volatility in costs among surgeons providing similar outcomes. In dollar terms, 6 of 28 surgeons differed from a reference physician by 39% or more. Given these results, the study authors suggested there was ample room to generate cost efficiencies while maintaining quality of care.
May 15, 2006 Related topics: Surgery, Cost savings