Many improvements in health care today involve care coordination across the entire health care system. Active management of an orthopedic surgery service from a system perspective allows for improvements that can favorably impact readmissions and length of stay (LOS) for patients.¹ The following is an example of a systemwide process improvement in total knee replacement (TKR) surgery that dramatically decreased 30-day readmissions and shortened the LOS during a 12-month period.\

Background

The VA is the largest integrated health care system in the U.S. VA hospitals use the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) to monitor surgical services. Initially known as the National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), the program began in 1994 to help provide reliable, valid information on patient presurgical factors, processes of care during surgery, and 30-day morbidity and mortality rates in VA hospitals.² Since its inception, NSQIP has spread to the private sector and is now widely used throughout the U.S.

Using on-site data acquisition by specially trained and dedicated registered nurses, information on each surgical case is input into a quality program. Quarterly reports are distributed to each hospital, and a comparison of mortality, LOS, 30-day readmissions to the hospital, and other data are analyzed and presented by quarter and rolling 12-month time frames. Use of VASQIP data allows improvement of the structures and processes of care throughout the VA, providing safer surgery for veterans.

At the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) in Arizona, the third quarter 2014 report showed the rolling 12-month average LOS for orthopedic TKR patients was 3.5 days and corresponding 30-day readmissions were 7.9%. Using a systems improvement approach, the authors set a goal of reducing these metrics by 10%.

The orthopedic service engaged members of the hospitalist, anesthesia, physical therapy (PT), nursing, social work, primary care, and pharmacy services, as well as hospital administration. Twelve months later, the LOS for TKR patients declined 20% to 2.8 days. Corresponding 30-day readmissions declined for the patients with knee replacement to 3.4%—a 57% reduction in 1 year. Mortality for these 177 cases was zero.

To accomplish these improvements, the authors divided the surgical procedure into preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative time frames and looked at process improvement during each of these periods. The following is a summary of the various processes that the authors feel contributed to the reduced LOS and 30-day readmission rate. Although some of these interventions were in place before the study period, all the processes were standardized for TKRs through surgeon consensus, and each of the surgeons adopted all the processes during the study period.

Preoperative Processes

In the VA primary care-based model orthopedic surgery is accessed through a consult process in the electronic health record. The orthopedic surgery service reviews each new consult and makes recommendations for optimization at the time the consult was received. This process was used to work closely with primary care providers to preoperatively prepare patients. The orthopedic surgery service advocates smoking cessation, substance abuse treatment, weight loss with an ideal body mass index of ≤ 35, and diabetes mellitus (DM) management with a ≤ 7 hemoglobin A_1c value.^3-7

This management did not result in fewer patients receiving TKR. In fact, the volume of TKR patients increased by 8% over the study period. Although part of this increase could have been due to increased scheduling efficiency, the orthopedic surgery service worked closely with primary care, nutrition, and medicine services to optimize these patients so they could be placed on the schedule for surgery.

Preoperative Education

Physical therapy and the orthopedic preprocedure clinic provided preoperative education to patients, covering preoperative chlorhexidine body washes, home safety, use of a walker, anticipated LOS, use of ambulatory sequential compressive devices, use of a knee cooling device, as well as PT protocols during hospitalization.⁸ This helped increase postoperative patient adherence and helped patients anticipate an appropriate LOS. Health care providers worked with patients to understand their home environment and plan for caregivers to assist them in the immediate postoperative period.

Intraoperative Processes

Reducing Blood Loss

The orthopedic surgery service reviewed literature related to the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid. Based on the literature, the orthopedic surgery service arrived at a consensus agreement to implement a topical tranexamic acid dose of 3 g/100 cc saline for each TKR. Presentation of the pertinent literature to the pharmacy service allowed placement of this medication on the formulary for intraoperative use in the TKR cases.

Specific processes were implemented that involved the orthopedic service ordering tranexamic acid in advance for each patient, pharmacy mixing the solution and having it ready in a timely manner, and the operating room sending a messenger to the pharmacy to pick up a sterile container of the tranexamic acid/saline solution. Postoperative blood loss and transfusions decreased. Less anemia contributed to better performance and less fatigue in PT, which helped move patients down a pathway for quicker discharge.^9,10

DVT Mechanical Prophylaxis

The orthopedic surgery service was concerned about adherence with stationary sequential compressive devices for mechanical thromboembolic prophylaxis. Patients had to remove them for PT, ambulation in the halls, and visiting the restroom, and then nurses had to replace them. A literature review examined a mobile compressive device that could be maintained during ambulation, and a demonstration for the orthopedic surgery service was arranged. The orthopedic service decided to change to the newer device, and the mobile compression device was presented to the PVAHCS Therapeutics Committee. Subsequently the new device was implemented after the appropriate in-service of the various clinic, PT, ward, surgery, preoperative, and postoperative personnel.¹¹ The device was initiated in the holding area prior to surgery, continued throughout the hospitalization, and taken home by the patient for 2 weeks of use following surgery. Patients were instructed to return the device to clinic at their 2-week follow-up appointment.

Infection Control

A dilute betadine lavage was instituted for each surgical case, using the pulsatile lavage followed by a lactated Ringer solution rinse prior to TKR implantation. Additionally, the wound was lavaged prior to closure with this dilute betadine solution.¹²

Pain Control

Immediately before surgery, patients received oral morphine sulfate and celecoxib. A local 2% lidocaine with epinephrine injection was used at the surgical incision and joint after the skin prep and immediately prior to the skin incision. Patients received a mixture of ropivicaine .5%/20 mL, morphine sulfate 10 mg, and toradol 30 mg at the capsular region prior to implantation of the total knee prosthesis. At the end of the procedure, an additional 20 mL of 2% lidocaine was injected into the joint once the capsule was closed. This improved postoperative pain, decreased postoperative opioid dosing, and allowed for earlier ambulation with PT.¹³

PostOperative Processes

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Chemoprophylaxis

Once the chest physician guidelines-approved stand-alone mobile compressive devices was implemented, orthopedic surgery service revisited the chemoprophylaxis for routine low-risk patients. Use of subcutaneously daily injections of 2.5 mg fondiparinux was switched to 81 mg enteric-coated aspirin administered orally twice daily. The authors believe this further reduced the postoperative bleeding and transfusion risks. There was not an increase in DVT or pulmonary embolism complications.^14,15

Physical Therapy

Partnering with PT, a 2-day LOS protocol was established. Patients were introduced to this protocol in a preoperative PT teaching class, and it was reinforced during the hospital stay. Patients who had earlier cases in the day were seen by PT the day of surgery when staffing and scheduling permitted. Early ambulation contributed significantly to earlier discharge for patients.¹⁶ Early ambulation also has been shown to decrease thromboembolic complications in orthopedic total joint patients.

Pain and Nausea Management

Parenteral narcotics were avoided, and oral narcotics were implemented with a graduated dosing based on a 10-point pain scale. For most patients, this was adequate and avoided the nausea frequently seen with the injectable narcotics.

Use of a postoperative cooling device that circulated cool water through a pad over the patient’s knee was instituted to assist with pain control. The patient received instruction on this device at the preoperative education sessions and was given the device to continue at home postdischarge.

Hospitalist Comanagement

Comanagement of orthopedic patients with hospitalists has become a standard practice nationally. The orthopedic surgery service works closely with the hospitalist team who see each total joint patient on postoperative admission to the ward. The orthopedic team handles all aspects of PT, wound management, pain control, and DVT prophylaxis. The hospitalist focuses on the remainder of comorbid conditions such as DM, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and underlying cardiac conditions.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) average score was 2.8 for these procedures. Despite comprehensive preoperative screening, older patients with more comorbidities (higher ASA score) are more prone to emerging complications.¹⁷ Integration of the hospitalist team into the care of every orthopedic total joint patient facilitates prompt recognition and mitigation of these complications as they occur, directly reducing overall severity and LOS and allowing safe recovery from the surgical procedure.^18,19

Conclusion

At the start of this system improvement, the previous 12-month data showed 164 knee replacements with a 4.9-day VA national LOS and 3.5- day PVAHCS LOS. At the end of the 12-month system improvement, the VA national LOS for TKR was 4.8 days, and at PVAHCS it was 2.8 days.

The 30-day readmission rate was 8.4% nationally and 7.9% at PVAHCS. After the system improvements, the national 30-day readmission rate was 7.1%, while the PVAHCS rate dropped to less than half the national rate: 3.4%.

It is important to note, that the improvements in the aforementioned multiple processes could not have been possible without a dedicated effort from the multiple stakeholders involved. Hospitalists, primary care, PT, pharmacy, operating room staff, anesthesia, preprocedure staff, floor nurses, the Commodities and Therapeutics Committee, and administration all partnered with the orthopedic surgery service to produce the improvements in LOS and corresponding reduction in 30-day readmissions.

These data suggest that there does not need to be an inherent tradeoff between LOS and 30-day readmissions. Rather, both measures can be managed independently to produce improvements across the service. A team approach to process improvement can allow for increased efficiency while providing safer care for patients.

Many improvements in health care today involve care coordination across the entire health care system. Active management of an orthopedic surgery service from a system perspective allows for improvements that can favorably impact readmissions and length of stay (LOS) for patients.¹ The following is an example of a systemwide process improvement in total knee replacement (TKR) surgery that dramatically decreased 30-day readmissions and shortened the LOS during a 12-month period.\

Background

The VA is the largest integrated health care system in the U.S. VA hospitals use the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) to monitor surgical services. Initially known as the National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), the program began in 1994 to help provide reliable, valid information on patient presurgical factors, processes of care during surgery, and 30-day morbidity and mortality rates in VA hospitals.² Since its inception, NSQIP has spread to the private sector and is now widely used throughout the U.S.

Using on-site data acquisition by specially trained and dedicated registered nurses, information on each surgical case is input into a quality program. Quarterly reports are distributed to each hospital, and a comparison of mortality, LOS, 30-day readmissions to the hospital, and other data are analyzed and presented by quarter and rolling 12-month time frames. Use of VASQIP data allows improvement of the structures and processes of care throughout the VA, providing safer surgery for veterans.

At the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) in Arizona, the third quarter 2014 report showed the rolling 12-month average LOS for orthopedic TKR patients was 3.5 days and corresponding 30-day readmissions were 7.9%. Using a systems improvement approach, the authors set a goal of reducing these metrics by 10%.

The orthopedic service engaged members of the hospitalist, anesthesia, physical therapy (PT), nursing, social work, primary care, and pharmacy services, as well as hospital administration. Twelve months later, the LOS for TKR patients declined 20% to 2.8 days. Corresponding 30-day readmissions declined for the patients with knee replacement to 3.4%—a 57% reduction in 1 year. Mortality for these 177 cases was zero.

To accomplish these improvements, the authors divided the surgical procedure into preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative time frames and looked at process improvement during each of these periods. The following is a summary of the various processes that the authors feel contributed to the reduced LOS and 30-day readmission rate. Although some of these interventions were in place before the study period, all the processes were standardized for TKRs through surgeon consensus, and each of the surgeons adopted all the processes during the study period.

Preoperative Processes

In the VA primary care-based model orthopedic surgery is accessed through a consult process in the electronic health record. The orthopedic surgery service reviews each new consult and makes recommendations for optimization at the time the consult was received. This process was used to work closely with primary care providers to preoperatively prepare patients. The orthopedic surgery service advocates smoking cessation, substance abuse treatment, weight loss with an ideal body mass index of ≤ 35, and diabetes mellitus (DM) management with a ≤ 7 hemoglobin A_1c value.^3-7

This management did not result in fewer patients receiving TKR. In fact, the volume of TKR patients increased by 8% over the study period. Although part of this increase could have been due to increased scheduling efficiency, the orthopedic surgery service worked closely with primary care, nutrition, and medicine services to optimize these patients so they could be placed on the schedule for surgery.

Preoperative Education

Physical therapy and the orthopedic preprocedure clinic provided preoperative education to patients, covering preoperative chlorhexidine body washes, home safety, use of a walker, anticipated LOS, use of ambulatory sequential compressive devices, use of a knee cooling device, as well as PT protocols during hospitalization.⁸ This helped increase postoperative patient adherence and helped patients anticipate an appropriate LOS. Health care providers worked with patients to understand their home environment and plan for caregivers to assist them in the immediate postoperative period.

Intraoperative Processes

Reducing Blood Loss

The orthopedic surgery service reviewed literature related to the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid. Based on the literature, the orthopedic surgery service arrived at a consensus agreement to implement a topical tranexamic acid dose of 3 g/100 cc saline for each TKR. Presentation of the pertinent literature to the pharmacy service allowed placement of this medication on the formulary for intraoperative use in the TKR cases.

Specific processes were implemented that involved the orthopedic service ordering tranexamic acid in advance for each patient, pharmacy mixing the solution and having it ready in a timely manner, and the operating room sending a messenger to the pharmacy to pick up a sterile container of the tranexamic acid/saline solution. Postoperative blood loss and transfusions decreased. Less anemia contributed to better performance and less fatigue in PT, which helped move patients down a pathway for quicker discharge.^9,10

DVT Mechanical Prophylaxis

The orthopedic surgery service was concerned about adherence with stationary sequential compressive devices for mechanical thromboembolic prophylaxis. Patients had to remove them for PT, ambulation in the halls, and visiting the restroom, and then nurses had to replace them. A literature review examined a mobile compressive device that could be maintained during ambulation, and a demonstration for the orthopedic surgery service was arranged. The orthopedic service decided to change to the newer device, and the mobile compression device was presented to the PVAHCS Therapeutics Committee. Subsequently the new device was implemented after the appropriate in-service of the various clinic, PT, ward, surgery, preoperative, and postoperative personnel.¹¹ The device was initiated in the holding area prior to surgery, continued throughout the hospitalization, and taken home by the patient for 2 weeks of use following surgery. Patients were instructed to return the device to clinic at their 2-week follow-up appointment.

Infection Control

A dilute betadine lavage was instituted for each surgical case, using the pulsatile lavage followed by a lactated Ringer solution rinse prior to TKR implantation. Additionally, the wound was lavaged prior to closure with this dilute betadine solution.¹²

Pain Control

Immediately before surgery, patients received oral morphine sulfate and celecoxib. A local 2% lidocaine with epinephrine injection was used at the surgical incision and joint after the skin prep and immediately prior to the skin incision. Patients received a mixture of ropivicaine .5%/20 mL, morphine sulfate 10 mg, and toradol 30 mg at the capsular region prior to implantation of the total knee prosthesis. At the end of the procedure, an additional 20 mL of 2% lidocaine was injected into the joint once the capsule was closed. This improved postoperative pain, decreased postoperative opioid dosing, and allowed for earlier ambulation with PT.¹³

PostOperative Processes

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Chemoprophylaxis

Once the chest physician guidelines-approved stand-alone mobile compressive devices was implemented, orthopedic surgery service revisited the chemoprophylaxis for routine low-risk patients. Use of subcutaneously daily injections of 2.5 mg fondiparinux was switched to 81 mg enteric-coated aspirin administered orally twice daily. The authors believe this further reduced the postoperative bleeding and transfusion risks. There was not an increase in DVT or pulmonary embolism complications.^14,15

Physical Therapy

Partnering with PT, a 2-day LOS protocol was established. Patients were introduced to this protocol in a preoperative PT teaching class, and it was reinforced during the hospital stay. Patients who had earlier cases in the day were seen by PT the day of surgery when staffing and scheduling permitted. Early ambulation contributed significantly to earlier discharge for patients.¹⁶ Early ambulation also has been shown to decrease thromboembolic complications in orthopedic total joint patients.

Pain and Nausea Management

Parenteral narcotics were avoided, and oral narcotics were implemented with a graduated dosing based on a 10-point pain scale. For most patients, this was adequate and avoided the nausea frequently seen with the injectable narcotics.

Use of a postoperative cooling device that circulated cool water through a pad over the patient’s knee was instituted to assist with pain control. The patient received instruction on this device at the preoperative education sessions and was given the device to continue at home postdischarge.

Hospitalist Comanagement

Comanagement of orthopedic patients with hospitalists has become a standard practice nationally. The orthopedic surgery service works closely with the hospitalist team who see each total joint patient on postoperative admission to the ward. The orthopedic team handles all aspects of PT, wound management, pain control, and DVT prophylaxis. The hospitalist focuses on the remainder of comorbid conditions such as DM, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and underlying cardiac conditions.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) average score was 2.8 for these procedures. Despite comprehensive preoperative screening, older patients with more comorbidities (higher ASA score) are more prone to emerging complications.¹⁷ Integration of the hospitalist team into the care of every orthopedic total joint patient facilitates prompt recognition and mitigation of these complications as they occur, directly reducing overall severity and LOS and allowing safe recovery from the surgical procedure.^18,19

Conclusion

At the start of this system improvement, the previous 12-month data showed 164 knee replacements with a 4.9-day VA national LOS and 3.5- day PVAHCS LOS. At the end of the 12-month system improvement, the VA national LOS for TKR was 4.8 days, and at PVAHCS it was 2.8 days.

The 30-day readmission rate was 8.4% nationally and 7.9% at PVAHCS. After the system improvements, the national 30-day readmission rate was 7.1%, while the PVAHCS rate dropped to less than half the national rate: 3.4%.

It is important to note, that the improvements in the aforementioned multiple processes could not have been possible without a dedicated effort from the multiple stakeholders involved. Hospitalists, primary care, PT, pharmacy, operating room staff, anesthesia, preprocedure staff, floor nurses, the Commodities and Therapeutics Committee, and administration all partnered with the orthopedic surgery service to produce the improvements in LOS and corresponding reduction in 30-day readmissions.

These data suggest that there does not need to be an inherent tradeoff between LOS and 30-day readmissions. Rather, both measures can be managed independently to produce improvements across the service. A team approach to process improvement can allow for increased efficiency while providing safer care for patients.

Many improvements in health care today involve care coordination across the entire health care system. Active management of an orthopedic surgery service from a system perspective allows for improvements that can favorably impact readmissions and length of stay (LOS) for patients.¹ The following is an example of a systemwide process improvement in total knee replacement (TKR) surgery that dramatically decreased 30-day readmissions and shortened the LOS during a 12-month period.\

Background

The VA is the largest integrated health care system in the U.S. VA hospitals use the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) to monitor surgical services. Initially known as the National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), the program began in 1994 to help provide reliable, valid information on patient presurgical factors, processes of care during surgery, and 30-day morbidity and mortality rates in VA hospitals.² Since its inception, NSQIP has spread to the private sector and is now widely used throughout the U.S.

Using on-site data acquisition by specially trained and dedicated registered nurses, information on each surgical case is input into a quality program. Quarterly reports are distributed to each hospital, and a comparison of mortality, LOS, 30-day readmissions to the hospital, and other data are analyzed and presented by quarter and rolling 12-month time frames. Use of VASQIP data allows improvement of the structures and processes of care throughout the VA, providing safer surgery for veterans.

At the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) in Arizona, the third quarter 2014 report showed the rolling 12-month average LOS for orthopedic TKR patients was 3.5 days and corresponding 30-day readmissions were 7.9%. Using a systems improvement approach, the authors set a goal of reducing these metrics by 10%.

The orthopedic service engaged members of the hospitalist, anesthesia, physical therapy (PT), nursing, social work, primary care, and pharmacy services, as well as hospital administration. Twelve months later, the LOS for TKR patients declined 20% to 2.8 days. Corresponding 30-day readmissions declined for the patients with knee replacement to 3.4%—a 57% reduction in 1 year. Mortality for these 177 cases was zero.

To accomplish these improvements, the authors divided the surgical procedure into preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative time frames and looked at process improvement during each of these periods. The following is a summary of the various processes that the authors feel contributed to the reduced LOS and 30-day readmission rate. Although some of these interventions were in place before the study period, all the processes were standardized for TKRs through surgeon consensus, and each of the surgeons adopted all the processes during the study period.

Preoperative Processes

In the VA primary care-based model orthopedic surgery is accessed through a consult process in the electronic health record. The orthopedic surgery service reviews each new consult and makes recommendations for optimization at the time the consult was received. This process was used to work closely with primary care providers to preoperatively prepare patients. The orthopedic surgery service advocates smoking cessation, substance abuse treatment, weight loss with an ideal body mass index of ≤ 35, and diabetes mellitus (DM) management with a ≤ 7 hemoglobin A_1c value.^3-7

This management did not result in fewer patients receiving TKR. In fact, the volume of TKR patients increased by 8% over the study period. Although part of this increase could have been due to increased scheduling efficiency, the orthopedic surgery service worked closely with primary care, nutrition, and medicine services to optimize these patients so they could be placed on the schedule for surgery.

Preoperative Education

Physical therapy and the orthopedic preprocedure clinic provided preoperative education to patients, covering preoperative chlorhexidine body washes, home safety, use of a walker, anticipated LOS, use of ambulatory sequential compressive devices, use of a knee cooling device, as well as PT protocols during hospitalization.⁸ This helped increase postoperative patient adherence and helped patients anticipate an appropriate LOS. Health care providers worked with patients to understand their home environment and plan for caregivers to assist them in the immediate postoperative period.

Intraoperative Processes

Reducing Blood Loss

The orthopedic surgery service reviewed literature related to the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid. Based on the literature, the orthopedic surgery service arrived at a consensus agreement to implement a topical tranexamic acid dose of 3 g/100 cc saline for each TKR. Presentation of the pertinent literature to the pharmacy service allowed placement of this medication on the formulary for intraoperative use in the TKR cases.

Specific processes were implemented that involved the orthopedic service ordering tranexamic acid in advance for each patient, pharmacy mixing the solution and having it ready in a timely manner, and the operating room sending a messenger to the pharmacy to pick up a sterile container of the tranexamic acid/saline solution. Postoperative blood loss and transfusions decreased. Less anemia contributed to better performance and less fatigue in PT, which helped move patients down a pathway for quicker discharge.^9,10

DVT Mechanical Prophylaxis

The orthopedic surgery service was concerned about adherence with stationary sequential compressive devices for mechanical thromboembolic prophylaxis. Patients had to remove them for PT, ambulation in the halls, and visiting the restroom, and then nurses had to replace them. A literature review examined a mobile compressive device that could be maintained during ambulation, and a demonstration for the orthopedic surgery service was arranged. The orthopedic service decided to change to the newer device, and the mobile compression device was presented to the PVAHCS Therapeutics Committee. Subsequently the new device was implemented after the appropriate in-service of the various clinic, PT, ward, surgery, preoperative, and postoperative personnel.¹¹ The device was initiated in the holding area prior to surgery, continued throughout the hospitalization, and taken home by the patient for 2 weeks of use following surgery. Patients were instructed to return the device to clinic at their 2-week follow-up appointment.

Infection Control

A dilute betadine lavage was instituted for each surgical case, using the pulsatile lavage followed by a lactated Ringer solution rinse prior to TKR implantation. Additionally, the wound was lavaged prior to closure with this dilute betadine solution.¹²

Pain Control

Immediately before surgery, patients received oral morphine sulfate and celecoxib. A local 2% lidocaine with epinephrine injection was used at the surgical incision and joint after the skin prep and immediately prior to the skin incision. Patients received a mixture of ropivicaine .5%/20 mL, morphine sulfate 10 mg, and toradol 30 mg at the capsular region prior to implantation of the total knee prosthesis. At the end of the procedure, an additional 20 mL of 2% lidocaine was injected into the joint once the capsule was closed. This improved postoperative pain, decreased postoperative opioid dosing, and allowed for earlier ambulation with PT.¹³

PostOperative Processes

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Chemoprophylaxis

Once the chest physician guidelines-approved stand-alone mobile compressive devices was implemented, orthopedic surgery service revisited the chemoprophylaxis for routine low-risk patients. Use of subcutaneously daily injections of 2.5 mg fondiparinux was switched to 81 mg enteric-coated aspirin administered orally twice daily. The authors believe this further reduced the postoperative bleeding and transfusion risks. There was not an increase in DVT or pulmonary embolism complications.^14,15

Physical Therapy

Partnering with PT, a 2-day LOS protocol was established. Patients were introduced to this protocol in a preoperative PT teaching class, and it was reinforced during the hospital stay. Patients who had earlier cases in the day were seen by PT the day of surgery when staffing and scheduling permitted. Early ambulation contributed significantly to earlier discharge for patients.¹⁶ Early ambulation also has been shown to decrease thromboembolic complications in orthopedic total joint patients.

Pain and Nausea Management

Parenteral narcotics were avoided, and oral narcotics were implemented with a graduated dosing based on a 10-point pain scale. For most patients, this was adequate and avoided the nausea frequently seen with the injectable narcotics.

Use of a postoperative cooling device that circulated cool water through a pad over the patient’s knee was instituted to assist with pain control. The patient received instruction on this device at the preoperative education sessions and was given the device to continue at home postdischarge.

Hospitalist Comanagement

Comanagement of orthopedic patients with hospitalists has become a standard practice nationally. The orthopedic surgery service works closely with the hospitalist team who see each total joint patient on postoperative admission to the ward. The orthopedic team handles all aspects of PT, wound management, pain control, and DVT prophylaxis. The hospitalist focuses on the remainder of comorbid conditions such as DM, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and underlying cardiac conditions.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) average score was 2.8 for these procedures. Despite comprehensive preoperative screening, older patients with more comorbidities (higher ASA score) are more prone to emerging complications.¹⁷ Integration of the hospitalist team into the care of every orthopedic total joint patient facilitates prompt recognition and mitigation of these complications as they occur, directly reducing overall severity and LOS and allowing safe recovery from the surgical procedure.^18,19

Conclusion

At the start of this system improvement, the previous 12-month data showed 164 knee replacements with a 4.9-day VA national LOS and 3.5- day PVAHCS LOS. At the end of the 12-month system improvement, the VA national LOS for TKR was 4.8 days, and at PVAHCS it was 2.8 days.

The 30-day readmission rate was 8.4% nationally and 7.9% at PVAHCS. After the system improvements, the national 30-day readmission rate was 7.1%, while the PVAHCS rate dropped to less than half the national rate: 3.4%.

It is important to note, that the improvements in the aforementioned multiple processes could not have been possible without a dedicated effort from the multiple stakeholders involved. Hospitalists, primary care, PT, pharmacy, operating room staff, anesthesia, preprocedure staff, floor nurses, the Commodities and Therapeutics Committee, and administration all partnered with the orthopedic surgery service to produce the improvements in LOS and corresponding reduction in 30-day readmissions.

These data suggest that there does not need to be an inherent tradeoff between LOS and 30-day readmissions. Rather, both measures can be managed independently to produce improvements across the service. A team approach to process improvement can allow for increased efficiency while providing safer care for patients.

Insurance approval rates for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors are strikingly low, according to a study published in Circulation.

Two approved PCSK9i drugs, alirocumab and evolocumab, were approved for coverage just 47% of the time. Because of their high price tag – about $14,000 per year – researchers had expected low rates of insurance coverage for the novel drugs, which encourage degradation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by blocking preserving LDL-C receptors in hepatocytes. However, they were surprised at the size of the problem.

“I think we knew that physicians were having challenges, but the number [of coverage approvals] was maybe lower than we expected,” Robert Yeh, MD, the study’s lead investigator, said in an interview. “Physicians and patients need to be aware that in perhaps the majority of cases, when they decide these drugs are going to be ones they want to prescribe, there may be a long procedure ahead of them, and they may ultimately not succeed in getting those medications.”

PCSK9 inhibitors are specifically approved for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, or those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who are unable to achieve satisfactory lipid levels through dietary measures and statin use.

Yet insurance coverage rates were low, even when patients met labeled indications. When the researchers examined the factors associated with insurance coverage, the most important factor was the type of insurance: Commercial third-party insurers approved the drugs about 24% of the time, while Medicare approved them nearly 61% of the time (P less than .01).

Older age, prescriptions by a cardiologist or other specialist, and a diagnosis of clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) were also associated with higher rates of coverage by insurers (Circulation. 2017 Oct 30. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.028430).

The researchers analyzed data from 9,357 patients with a prescription for a PCSK9 inhibitor. About 60% of the patients had a diagnosis of clinical ASCVD. In all, 4,397 patients (47%) had their prescriptions for PCSK9 inhibitor therapy covered, and 53% of coverage requests were rejected. Nearly 65% of patients who received approval went on to fill their prescription.

There was no association between LDL-C level and the likelihood of approval. In the 32 cases in which the LDL-C levels were 330 mg/dL or greater, 59% of patients were not approved for coverage.

Noncommercial payers were more likely to approve the medication (odds ratio, 12.32; 95% confidence interval, 7.09-21.39), as was Medicare (OR, 5.37; 95% CI, 4.23-6.80).

A recent cost-effectiveness analysis of evolocumab added to standard therapy showed that an annual cost of $9,669 would achieve an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $150,000 per quality-adjusted life year gained among patients with LDL levels 70 mg/dL or greater. (JAMA Cardiol. 2017;2[10]:1069-78). Evolocumab is currently listed at $14,523, putting it above that value.

“Now that clinical trial outcome data demonstrating reductions in major cardiovascular events and formal cost-effectiveness studies have identified value-based prices for these medications, it would be hoped that progress can be made such that a greater proportion of eligible patients can be treated,” Gregg C. Fonarow, MD, professor of cardiovascular medicine and science director at the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, Los Angeles, and the lead author of the cost-effectiveness study, said in an interview.

Both sets of findings cut to the heart of the debate over pricing of new medications. PCSK9 inhibitors have a clear benefit in lowering LDL and reducing risk of heart attack, but the drugs’ price tags may limit their availability.

“We need to not be afraid to discuss these issues in plain terms that are not emotional, so that we can get a better sense of what is the amount to spend on a therapy, even when it is effective but potentially pricey,” said Dr. Yeh, director of the Richard and Susan Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. “This is a really important business, philosophical, medical, and ethical debate.”

The study received no external funding. Dr. Yeh reported having no financial disclosures. Dr. Fonarow has consulted for Amgen.

Insurance approval rates for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors are strikingly low, according to a study published in Circulation.

Two approved PCSK9i drugs, alirocumab and evolocumab, were approved for coverage just 47% of the time. Because of their high price tag – about $14,000 per year – researchers had expected low rates of insurance coverage for the novel drugs, which encourage degradation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by blocking preserving LDL-C receptors in hepatocytes. However, they were surprised at the size of the problem.

“I think we knew that physicians were having challenges, but the number [of coverage approvals] was maybe lower than we expected,” Robert Yeh, MD, the study’s lead investigator, said in an interview. “Physicians and patients need to be aware that in perhaps the majority of cases, when they decide these drugs are going to be ones they want to prescribe, there may be a long procedure ahead of them, and they may ultimately not succeed in getting those medications.”

PCSK9 inhibitors are specifically approved for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, or those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who are unable to achieve satisfactory lipid levels through dietary measures and statin use.

Yet insurance coverage rates were low, even when patients met labeled indications. When the researchers examined the factors associated with insurance coverage, the most important factor was the type of insurance: Commercial third-party insurers approved the drugs about 24% of the time, while Medicare approved them nearly 61% of the time (P less than .01).

Older age, prescriptions by a cardiologist or other specialist, and a diagnosis of clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) were also associated with higher rates of coverage by insurers (Circulation. 2017 Oct 30. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.028430).

The researchers analyzed data from 9,357 patients with a prescription for a PCSK9 inhibitor. About 60% of the patients had a diagnosis of clinical ASCVD. In all, 4,397 patients (47%) had their prescriptions for PCSK9 inhibitor therapy covered, and 53% of coverage requests were rejected. Nearly 65% of patients who received approval went on to fill their prescription.

There was no association between LDL-C level and the likelihood of approval. In the 32 cases in which the LDL-C levels were 330 mg/dL or greater, 59% of patients were not approved for coverage.

Noncommercial payers were more likely to approve the medication (odds ratio, 12.32; 95% confidence interval, 7.09-21.39), as was Medicare (OR, 5.37; 95% CI, 4.23-6.80).

A recent cost-effectiveness analysis of evolocumab added to standard therapy showed that an annual cost of $9,669 would achieve an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $150,000 per quality-adjusted life year gained among patients with LDL levels 70 mg/dL or greater. (JAMA Cardiol. 2017;2[10]:1069-78). Evolocumab is currently listed at $14,523, putting it above that value.

“Now that clinical trial outcome data demonstrating reductions in major cardiovascular events and formal cost-effectiveness studies have identified value-based prices for these medications, it would be hoped that progress can be made such that a greater proportion of eligible patients can be treated,” Gregg C. Fonarow, MD, professor of cardiovascular medicine and science director at the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, Los Angeles, and the lead author of the cost-effectiveness study, said in an interview.

Both sets of findings cut to the heart of the debate over pricing of new medications. PCSK9 inhibitors have a clear benefit in lowering LDL and reducing risk of heart attack, but the drugs’ price tags may limit their availability.

“We need to not be afraid to discuss these issues in plain terms that are not emotional, so that we can get a better sense of what is the amount to spend on a therapy, even when it is effective but potentially pricey,” said Dr. Yeh, director of the Richard and Susan Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. “This is a really important business, philosophical, medical, and ethical debate.”

The study received no external funding. Dr. Yeh reported having no financial disclosures. Dr. Fonarow has consulted for Amgen.

Insurance approval rates for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors are strikingly low, according to a study published in Circulation.

Two approved PCSK9i drugs, alirocumab and evolocumab, were approved for coverage just 47% of the time. Because of their high price tag – about $14,000 per year – researchers had expected low rates of insurance coverage for the novel drugs, which encourage degradation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by blocking preserving LDL-C receptors in hepatocytes. However, they were surprised at the size of the problem.

“I think we knew that physicians were having challenges, but the number [of coverage approvals] was maybe lower than we expected,” Robert Yeh, MD, the study’s lead investigator, said in an interview. “Physicians and patients need to be aware that in perhaps the majority of cases, when they decide these drugs are going to be ones they want to prescribe, there may be a long procedure ahead of them, and they may ultimately not succeed in getting those medications.”

PCSK9 inhibitors are specifically approved for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, or those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who are unable to achieve satisfactory lipid levels through dietary measures and statin use.

Yet insurance coverage rates were low, even when patients met labeled indications. When the researchers examined the factors associated with insurance coverage, the most important factor was the type of insurance: Commercial third-party insurers approved the drugs about 24% of the time, while Medicare approved them nearly 61% of the time (P less than .01).

Older age, prescriptions by a cardiologist or other specialist, and a diagnosis of clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) were also associated with higher rates of coverage by insurers (Circulation. 2017 Oct 30. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.028430).

The researchers analyzed data from 9,357 patients with a prescription for a PCSK9 inhibitor. About 60% of the patients had a diagnosis of clinical ASCVD. In all, 4,397 patients (47%) had their prescriptions for PCSK9 inhibitor therapy covered, and 53% of coverage requests were rejected. Nearly 65% of patients who received approval went on to fill their prescription.

There was no association between LDL-C level and the likelihood of approval. In the 32 cases in which the LDL-C levels were 330 mg/dL or greater, 59% of patients were not approved for coverage.

Noncommercial payers were more likely to approve the medication (odds ratio, 12.32; 95% confidence interval, 7.09-21.39), as was Medicare (OR, 5.37; 95% CI, 4.23-6.80).

A recent cost-effectiveness analysis of evolocumab added to standard therapy showed that an annual cost of $9,669 would achieve an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $150,000 per quality-adjusted life year gained among patients with LDL levels 70 mg/dL or greater. (JAMA Cardiol. 2017;2[10]:1069-78). Evolocumab is currently listed at $14,523, putting it above that value.

“Now that clinical trial outcome data demonstrating reductions in major cardiovascular events and formal cost-effectiveness studies have identified value-based prices for these medications, it would be hoped that progress can be made such that a greater proportion of eligible patients can be treated,” Gregg C. Fonarow, MD, professor of cardiovascular medicine and science director at the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, Los Angeles, and the lead author of the cost-effectiveness study, said in an interview.

Both sets of findings cut to the heart of the debate over pricing of new medications. PCSK9 inhibitors have a clear benefit in lowering LDL and reducing risk of heart attack, but the drugs’ price tags may limit their availability.

“We need to not be afraid to discuss these issues in plain terms that are not emotional, so that we can get a better sense of what is the amount to spend on a therapy, even when it is effective but potentially pricey,” said Dr. Yeh, director of the Richard and Susan Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. “This is a really important business, philosophical, medical, and ethical debate.”

The study received no external funding. Dr. Yeh reported having no financial disclosures. Dr. Fonarow has consulted for Amgen.

Photo by Daniel Sone

Preclinical research suggests the protein BMI-1 may be a therapeutic target for multiple myeloma (MM).

Researchers found that BMI-1 inhibition, with a drug called PTC-209, induced apoptosis in MM cell lines and primary cells.

In addition, PTC-209’s anti-myeloma activity was enhanced by inhibitors targeting EZH2 and BET bromodomains.

The researchers reported these results in Oncotarget.

The team noted that previous studies have suggested epigenetic alterations are involved in the development of MM. They chose to focus the current study on BMI-1 because it’s part of a protein complex involved in epigenetic regulation and could therefore be a potential target for influencing MM development.

“We used the substance PTC-209, which we know inhibits BMI-1, and treated cultivated multiple myeloma cells,” said study author Mohammad Alzrigat, PhD, of Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden.

“We used both cell lines that are continuously kept as cultivated cells and cells that were purified from multiple myeloma patients, either newly diagnosed or at relapse. In all cases, we found that [PTC-209] decreased cell survival, which indicates that PTC-209 has an anti-myeloma effect.”

The researchers said PTC-209 demonstrated “potent anti-myeloma activity, reducing the viability of MM cell lines at concentrations ranging up to 1.6 μM over 48 hours of treatment.” INA-6 was the cell line that proved most responsive to PTC-209, and U266-1970 was the least responsive.

The team also found that a 10 μM concentration of PTC-209 reduced the viability of all primary MM cells. This anti-myeloma activity was independent of disease state (whether patients were newly diagnosed or had relapsed disease) and cytogenetic karyotype.

“Our study showed that PTC-209 most likely functions as an anti-myeloma agent by inhibiting the production of BMI-1,” said study author Helena Jernberg-Wiklund, PhD, also of Uppsala University.

“We also saw that when PTC-209 was combined with other substances that inhibit epigenetic alterations, the myeloma cells’ survival was reduced even further compared to when only PTC-209 was used.”

Specifically, the researchers observed synergistic and additive activity when PTC-209 was combined with the EZH2 inhibitor UNC1999 and the BET inhibitor JQ1.

“Our results have both increased our understanding of how epigenetic alterations affect cancer development and shown how inhibiting these mechanisms in combination could potentially be utilized for future treatment of multiple myeloma patients, especially at relapse,” Dr Jernberg-Wiklund said.

Photo by Daniel Sone

Preclinical research suggests the protein BMI-1 may be a therapeutic target for multiple myeloma (MM).

Researchers found that BMI-1 inhibition, with a drug called PTC-209, induced apoptosis in MM cell lines and primary cells.

In addition, PTC-209’s anti-myeloma activity was enhanced by inhibitors targeting EZH2 and BET bromodomains.

The researchers reported these results in Oncotarget.

The team noted that previous studies have suggested epigenetic alterations are involved in the development of MM. They chose to focus the current study on BMI-1 because it’s part of a protein complex involved in epigenetic regulation and could therefore be a potential target for influencing MM development.

“We used the substance PTC-209, which we know inhibits BMI-1, and treated cultivated multiple myeloma cells,” said study author Mohammad Alzrigat, PhD, of Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden.

“We used both cell lines that are continuously kept as cultivated cells and cells that were purified from multiple myeloma patients, either newly diagnosed or at relapse. In all cases, we found that [PTC-209] decreased cell survival, which indicates that PTC-209 has an anti-myeloma effect.”

The researchers said PTC-209 demonstrated “potent anti-myeloma activity, reducing the viability of MM cell lines at concentrations ranging up to 1.6 μM over 48 hours of treatment.” INA-6 was the cell line that proved most responsive to PTC-209, and U266-1970 was the least responsive.

The team also found that a 10 μM concentration of PTC-209 reduced the viability of all primary MM cells. This anti-myeloma activity was independent of disease state (whether patients were newly diagnosed or had relapsed disease) and cytogenetic karyotype.

“Our study showed that PTC-209 most likely functions as an anti-myeloma agent by inhibiting the production of BMI-1,” said study author Helena Jernberg-Wiklund, PhD, also of Uppsala University.

“We also saw that when PTC-209 was combined with other substances that inhibit epigenetic alterations, the myeloma cells’ survival was reduced even further compared to when only PTC-209 was used.”

Specifically, the researchers observed synergistic and additive activity when PTC-209 was combined with the EZH2 inhibitor UNC1999 and the BET inhibitor JQ1.

“Our results have both increased our understanding of how epigenetic alterations affect cancer development and shown how inhibiting these mechanisms in combination could potentially be utilized for future treatment of multiple myeloma patients, especially at relapse,” Dr Jernberg-Wiklund said.

Photo by Daniel Sone

Preclinical research suggests the protein BMI-1 may be a therapeutic target for multiple myeloma (MM).

Researchers found that BMI-1 inhibition, with a drug called PTC-209, induced apoptosis in MM cell lines and primary cells.

In addition, PTC-209’s anti-myeloma activity was enhanced by inhibitors targeting EZH2 and BET bromodomains.

The researchers reported these results in Oncotarget.

The team noted that previous studies have suggested epigenetic alterations are involved in the development of MM. They chose to focus the current study on BMI-1 because it’s part of a protein complex involved in epigenetic regulation and could therefore be a potential target for influencing MM development.

“We used the substance PTC-209, which we know inhibits BMI-1, and treated cultivated multiple myeloma cells,” said study author Mohammad Alzrigat, PhD, of Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden.

“We used both cell lines that are continuously kept as cultivated cells and cells that were purified from multiple myeloma patients, either newly diagnosed or at relapse. In all cases, we found that [PTC-209] decreased cell survival, which indicates that PTC-209 has an anti-myeloma effect.”

The researchers said PTC-209 demonstrated “potent anti-myeloma activity, reducing the viability of MM cell lines at concentrations ranging up to 1.6 μM over 48 hours of treatment.” INA-6 was the cell line that proved most responsive to PTC-209, and U266-1970 was the least responsive.

The team also found that a 10 μM concentration of PTC-209 reduced the viability of all primary MM cells. This anti-myeloma activity was independent of disease state (whether patients were newly diagnosed or had relapsed disease) and cytogenetic karyotype.

“Our study showed that PTC-209 most likely functions as an anti-myeloma agent by inhibiting the production of BMI-1,” said study author Helena Jernberg-Wiklund, PhD, also of Uppsala University.

“We also saw that when PTC-209 was combined with other substances that inhibit epigenetic alterations, the myeloma cells’ survival was reduced even further compared to when only PTC-209 was used.”

Specifically, the researchers observed synergistic and additive activity when PTC-209 was combined with the EZH2 inhibitor UNC1999 and the BET inhibitor JQ1.

“Our results have both increased our understanding of how epigenetic alterations affect cancer development and shown how inhibiting these mechanisms in combination could potentially be utilized for future treatment of multiple myeloma patients, especially at relapse,” Dr Jernberg-Wiklund said.

Thyroidectomy rates differ widely across the United States, according to a cross-sectional analysis of Medicare beneficiaries, but researchers aren’t sure what’s driving the variation.

There was a 6.2-fold difference in thyroidectomy rates across U.S. hospital referral regions in 2014, ranging from 22 to 139 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries. The national average was 60 procedures per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries, David O. Francis, MD, of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his coauthors, reported (JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Oct 12. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2017.1746).

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 15,888 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older who underwent a thyroidectomy in 2014. Of the thyroidectomies performed, 7,056 were partial and 8,382 were total thyroidectomies. They compared the frequency of partial and total thyroidectomies to total prostatectomy rates (high variation) and hospitalizations for hip fractures (low variation).

The stark variation in thyroidectomy outpaced those in hip fracture hospitalization (2.2-fold variation) and radical prostatectomy (5.6-fold variation) across U.S. hospital referral regions.

Higher rates of thyroidectomy were seen in Southern, Central, and certain urban regions of the United States.

But the variation in rates did not correlate with health care availability, socioeconomic status, or the availability of surgeons. This suggests that variation is caused by something other than disease burden. The researchers speculated that the “variability in thyroid surgery rates in areas with similar access to surgical services largely relates to local beliefs and practice patterns.”

The researchers also noted that the findings, which are based on Medicare data, may not be generalizable to young patients who account for more than half of all thyroidectomies performed in the United States.

The study was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, with salary support from the National Institutes of Health. The researchers reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

[email protected]

Thyroidectomy rates differ widely across the United States, according to a cross-sectional analysis of Medicare beneficiaries, but researchers aren’t sure what’s driving the variation.

There was a 6.2-fold difference in thyroidectomy rates across U.S. hospital referral regions in 2014, ranging from 22 to 139 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries. The national average was 60 procedures per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries, David O. Francis, MD, of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his coauthors, reported (JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Oct 12. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2017.1746).

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 15,888 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older who underwent a thyroidectomy in 2014. Of the thyroidectomies performed, 7,056 were partial and 8,382 were total thyroidectomies. They compared the frequency of partial and total thyroidectomies to total prostatectomy rates (high variation) and hospitalizations for hip fractures (low variation).

The stark variation in thyroidectomy outpaced those in hip fracture hospitalization (2.2-fold variation) and radical prostatectomy (5.6-fold variation) across U.S. hospital referral regions.

Higher rates of thyroidectomy were seen in Southern, Central, and certain urban regions of the United States.

But the variation in rates did not correlate with health care availability, socioeconomic status, or the availability of surgeons. This suggests that variation is caused by something other than disease burden. The researchers speculated that the “variability in thyroid surgery rates in areas with similar access to surgical services largely relates to local beliefs and practice patterns.”

The researchers also noted that the findings, which are based on Medicare data, may not be generalizable to young patients who account for more than half of all thyroidectomies performed in the United States.

The study was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, with salary support from the National Institutes of Health. The researchers reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

[email protected]

Thyroidectomy rates differ widely across the United States, according to a cross-sectional analysis of Medicare beneficiaries, but researchers aren’t sure what’s driving the variation.

There was a 6.2-fold difference in thyroidectomy rates across U.S. hospital referral regions in 2014, ranging from 22 to 139 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries. The national average was 60 procedures per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries, David O. Francis, MD, of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his coauthors, reported (JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Oct 12. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2017.1746).

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 15,888 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older who underwent a thyroidectomy in 2014. Of the thyroidectomies performed, 7,056 were partial and 8,382 were total thyroidectomies. They compared the frequency of partial and total thyroidectomies to total prostatectomy rates (high variation) and hospitalizations for hip fractures (low variation).

The stark variation in thyroidectomy outpaced those in hip fracture hospitalization (2.2-fold variation) and radical prostatectomy (5.6-fold variation) across U.S. hospital referral regions.

Higher rates of thyroidectomy were seen in Southern, Central, and certain urban regions of the United States.

But the variation in rates did not correlate with health care availability, socioeconomic status, or the availability of surgeons. This suggests that variation is caused by something other than disease burden. The researchers speculated that the “variability in thyroid surgery rates in areas with similar access to surgical services largely relates to local beliefs and practice patterns.”

The researchers also noted that the findings, which are based on Medicare data, may not be generalizable to young patients who account for more than half of all thyroidectomies performed in the United States.

The study was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, with salary support from the National Institutes of Health. The researchers reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

[email protected]

When continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices were first introduced, many thought they would revolutionize intensive insulin therapy for patients with diabetes. More than 15 years later, uptake is increasing but still remains low.

An expert working group convened by the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes is seeking to change that with recommendations designed to improve the use and clinical value of CGM devices (Diabetes Care. 2017 Oct 25. doi: 10.2337/dci17-0043).

“The aim is to improve safety and efficacy in order to support the advancement of the technology in achieving its potential to improve quality of life and health outcomes for more people with diabetes,” John R. Petrie, MD, of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and members of the working group wrote in the joint scientific statement.

Barriers to the uptake of CGM devices include cost and “human factors” issues such as the need for more audible alarms and easier-to-read displays, according to the joint statement. A lack of standardization in displaying results and uncertainty over the best way to use CGM data are also obstacles to widespread adoption.

The working group called for a systematic premarketing and postapproval evaluation of CGM system performance, as well as greater investment in clinical trials, including head-to-head comparisons and large independent registry studies. Other recommendations include the need for standardization of glucose data reporting, improved consistency and accessibility of postmarketing safety reports, and increased communication and cooperation between the various stakeholder groups.

The most important recommendation from the working group is the call for stakeholders to cooperate and communicate regularly, said A. Jay Cohen, MD, medical director of the Endocrine Clinic in Memphis, Tenn.

“That’s going to drive the momentum of change that’s going to help patients, and it’s also going to drive innovation,” he said.

After reviewing the joint scientific statement, Dr. Cohen said he would strongly encourage collaboration between stakeholders in government, insurance, clinical practice, industry, and patients to advance the use of CGM systems.

“The CGM systems have been not evolutionary, but revolutionary, in improvement in care for persons with diabetes and their families,” Dr. Cohen said. “They are a game changer, and besides … this unequivocally saves employers and insurers money, so it’s very cost effective in a very intuitive way.”

The joint scientific statement is based on review of more than 50 data sources, including recent clinical trials, research abstracts, regulatory authority databases, manufacturing company documents, and the clinical experience of the committee members.

“The guidelines set forth by this scientific statement will greatly inform providers and further advance the standardization, accuracy, and safety of CGM systems,” William T. Cefalu, MD, chief scientific, medical, and mission officer of the ADA, said in a statement.

Most members of the working group have relationships with industry, but industry “is considered to have had no impact on the manuscript or its content by reviewers from the ADA and EASD.”

When continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices were first introduced, many thought they would revolutionize intensive insulin therapy for patients with diabetes. More than 15 years later, uptake is increasing but still remains low.

An expert working group convened by the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes is seeking to change that with recommendations designed to improve the use and clinical value of CGM devices (Diabetes Care. 2017 Oct 25. doi: 10.2337/dci17-0043).

“The aim is to improve safety and efficacy in order to support the advancement of the technology in achieving its potential to improve quality of life and health outcomes for more people with diabetes,” John R. Petrie, MD, of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and members of the working group wrote in the joint scientific statement.

Barriers to the uptake of CGM devices include cost and “human factors” issues such as the need for more audible alarms and easier-to-read displays, according to the joint statement. A lack of standardization in displaying results and uncertainty over the best way to use CGM data are also obstacles to widespread adoption.

The working group called for a systematic premarketing and postapproval evaluation of CGM system performance, as well as greater investment in clinical trials, including head-to-head comparisons and large independent registry studies. Other recommendations include the need for standardization of glucose data reporting, improved consistency and accessibility of postmarketing safety reports, and increased communication and cooperation between the various stakeholder groups.

The most important recommendation from the working group is the call for stakeholders to cooperate and communicate regularly, said A. Jay Cohen, MD, medical director of the Endocrine Clinic in Memphis, Tenn.

“That’s going to drive the momentum of change that’s going to help patients, and it’s also going to drive innovation,” he said.

After reviewing the joint scientific statement, Dr. Cohen said he would strongly encourage collaboration between stakeholders in government, insurance, clinical practice, industry, and patients to advance the use of CGM systems.

“The CGM systems have been not evolutionary, but revolutionary, in improvement in care for persons with diabetes and their families,” Dr. Cohen said. “They are a game changer, and besides … this unequivocally saves employers and insurers money, so it’s very cost effective in a very intuitive way.”

The joint scientific statement is based on review of more than 50 data sources, including recent clinical trials, research abstracts, regulatory authority databases, manufacturing company documents, and the clinical experience of the committee members.

“The guidelines set forth by this scientific statement will greatly inform providers and further advance the standardization, accuracy, and safety of CGM systems,” William T. Cefalu, MD, chief scientific, medical, and mission officer of the ADA, said in a statement.

Most members of the working group have relationships with industry, but industry “is considered to have had no impact on the manuscript or its content by reviewers from the ADA and EASD.”

When continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices were first introduced, many thought they would revolutionize intensive insulin therapy for patients with diabetes. More than 15 years later, uptake is increasing but still remains low.

An expert working group convened by the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes is seeking to change that with recommendations designed to improve the use and clinical value of CGM devices (Diabetes Care. 2017 Oct 25. doi: 10.2337/dci17-0043).

“The aim is to improve safety and efficacy in order to support the advancement of the technology in achieving its potential to improve quality of life and health outcomes for more people with diabetes,” John R. Petrie, MD, of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and members of the working group wrote in the joint scientific statement.

Barriers to the uptake of CGM devices include cost and “human factors” issues such as the need for more audible alarms and easier-to-read displays, according to the joint statement. A lack of standardization in displaying results and uncertainty over the best way to use CGM data are also obstacles to widespread adoption.

The working group called for a systematic premarketing and postapproval evaluation of CGM system performance, as well as greater investment in clinical trials, including head-to-head comparisons and large independent registry studies. Other recommendations include the need for standardization of glucose data reporting, improved consistency and accessibility of postmarketing safety reports, and increased communication and cooperation between the various stakeholder groups.

The most important recommendation from the working group is the call for stakeholders to cooperate and communicate regularly, said A. Jay Cohen, MD, medical director of the Endocrine Clinic in Memphis, Tenn.

“That’s going to drive the momentum of change that’s going to help patients, and it’s also going to drive innovation,” he said.

After reviewing the joint scientific statement, Dr. Cohen said he would strongly encourage collaboration between stakeholders in government, insurance, clinical practice, industry, and patients to advance the use of CGM systems.

“The CGM systems have been not evolutionary, but revolutionary, in improvement in care for persons with diabetes and their families,” Dr. Cohen said. “They are a game changer, and besides … this unequivocally saves employers and insurers money, so it’s very cost effective in a very intuitive way.”

The joint scientific statement is based on review of more than 50 data sources, including recent clinical trials, research abstracts, regulatory authority databases, manufacturing company documents, and the clinical experience of the committee members.

“The guidelines set forth by this scientific statement will greatly inform providers and further advance the standardization, accuracy, and safety of CGM systems,” William T. Cefalu, MD, chief scientific, medical, and mission officer of the ADA, said in a statement.

Most members of the working group have relationships with industry, but industry “is considered to have had no impact on the manuscript or its content by reviewers from the ADA and EASD.”

VICTORIA, B.C. – Hypothyroid patients have similar cardiovascular outcomes in the shorter term whether they take generic or brand-name levothyroxine, results of a retrospective propensity-matched cohort study reported at the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association suggest.

Investigators led by Robert Smallridge, MD, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, in Jacksonville, Fla., used a large administrative database to study nearly 88,000 treatment-naive hypothyroid patients (most having benign thyroid disease) who started levothyroxine.

Susan London/Frontline Medical News

VICTORIA, B.C. – Hypothyroid patients have similar cardiovascular outcomes in the shorter term whether they take generic or brand-name levothyroxine, results of a retrospective propensity-matched cohort study reported at the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association suggest.

Investigators led by Robert Smallridge, MD, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, in Jacksonville, Fla., used a large administrative database to study nearly 88,000 treatment-naive hypothyroid patients (most having benign thyroid disease) who started levothyroxine.

Susan London/Frontline Medical News

VICTORIA, B.C. – Hypothyroid patients have similar cardiovascular outcomes in the shorter term whether they take generic or brand-name levothyroxine, results of a retrospective propensity-matched cohort study reported at the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association suggest.

Investigators led by Robert Smallridge, MD, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, in Jacksonville, Fla., used a large administrative database to study nearly 88,000 treatment-naive hypothyroid patients (most having benign thyroid disease) who started levothyroxine.

Susan London/Frontline Medical News

PARIS – What’s the most effective medication for preventing rehospitalization in patients previously admitted for severe unipolar depression?

The answer, based upon a study of all 123,712 patients hospitalized for severe unipolar depression in Finland during 1987-2012, might come as a surprise. The medication that most effectively kept patients from returning to the hospital wasn’t a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), or an atypical antipsychotic. It was lithium, Markku Lahteenvuo, MD, reported at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

Bruce Jancin/Frontline Medical News

[email protected]

PARIS – What’s the most effective medication for preventing rehospitalization in patients previously admitted for severe unipolar depression?

The answer, based upon a study of all 123,712 patients hospitalized for severe unipolar depression in Finland during 1987-2012, might come as a surprise. The medication that most effectively kept patients from returning to the hospital wasn’t a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), or an atypical antipsychotic. It was lithium, Markku Lahteenvuo, MD, reported at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

Bruce Jancin/Frontline Medical News

[email protected]

PARIS – What’s the most effective medication for preventing rehospitalization in patients previously admitted for severe unipolar depression?

The answer, based upon a study of all 123,712 patients hospitalized for severe unipolar depression in Finland during 1987-2012, might come as a surprise. The medication that most effectively kept patients from returning to the hospital wasn’t a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), or an atypical antipsychotic. It was lithium, Markku Lahteenvuo, MD, reported at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

Bruce Jancin/Frontline Medical News

[email protected]

In high-risk port-wine stain phenotypes – forehead, hemifacial, and median – early referral to a pediatric neurologist is the best way to enable early symptom recognition of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS), according to results of a literature review.

If imaging is desired, electroencephalography (EEG) is cheaper and more minimally invasive than MRI (Pediatr Dermatol. 2017 Oct 16. doi: 10.1111/pde.13304).

Of the 34 studies analyzed, none examined the correlation between early detection of presymptomatic SWS and earlier seizure detection. There were also no data to verify improved outcomes with early detection, Michaela Zallmann, MD, of the department of dermatology at Eastern Health, Monash University, Box Hill, Australia, and her coauthors reported. While this indicates a need for further studies, it also shows a need for improved education and clinical monitoring as standard practice.

Additionally, negative imaging results do not obviate the possibility of SWS diagnosis, the investigators reported. In the studies that recorded false negatives, MRI was negative in 3%-6% of infants who later became symptomatic. Of the seven infants with false-negative results, four were less than 6 months old when the initial imaging was conducted. The investigators noted that it is not known at what age a negative MRI can reliably exclude SWS.

When imaging was used for early detection, EEG was shown to be safer and less expensive than MRI, according to the review. Of children who were not anesthetized for MRI, 30%-50% showed considerable distress, while EEG was shown to be minimally invasive. Findings from a retrospective chart review show that 14 MRIs were performed to detect one asymptomatic case of SWS, costing $11,768. In comparison, EEG costs $87 for a routine outpatient study.

“Demonstrating brain involvement on MRI in infants with high-risk PWS may facilitate more stringent counseling and monitoring, but … a negative MRI does not obviate the need for neurologic counseling and monitoring,” the investigators wrote. “Allaying anxiety about diagnostic uncertainty is not achieved using a scan but through detailed education, appropriate clinical monitoring, and nuanced reassurance.”

The investigators did not report any financial disclosures.

In high-risk port-wine stain phenotypes – forehead, hemifacial, and median – early referral to a pediatric neurologist is the best way to enable early symptom recognition of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS), according to results of a literature review.

If imaging is desired, electroencephalography (EEG) is cheaper and more minimally invasive than MRI (Pediatr Dermatol. 2017 Oct 16. doi: 10.1111/pde.13304).

Of the 34 studies analyzed, none examined the correlation between early detection of presymptomatic SWS and earlier seizure detection. There were also no data to verify improved outcomes with early detection, Michaela Zallmann, MD, of the department of dermatology at Eastern Health, Monash University, Box Hill, Australia, and her coauthors reported. While this indicates a need for further studies, it also shows a need for improved education and clinical monitoring as standard practice.

Additionally, negative imaging results do not obviate the possibility of SWS diagnosis, the investigators reported. In the studies that recorded false negatives, MRI was negative in 3%-6% of infants who later became symptomatic. Of the seven infants with false-negative results, four were less than 6 months old when the initial imaging was conducted. The investigators noted that it is not known at what age a negative MRI can reliably exclude SWS.

When imaging was used for early detection, EEG was shown to be safer and less expensive than MRI, according to the review. Of children who were not anesthetized for MRI, 30%-50% showed considerable distress, while EEG was shown to be minimally invasive. Findings from a retrospective chart review show that 14 MRIs were performed to detect one asymptomatic case of SWS, costing $11,768. In comparison, EEG costs $87 for a routine outpatient study.

“Demonstrating brain involvement on MRI in infants with high-risk PWS may facilitate more stringent counseling and monitoring, but … a negative MRI does not obviate the need for neurologic counseling and monitoring,” the investigators wrote. “Allaying anxiety about diagnostic uncertainty is not achieved using a scan but through detailed education, appropriate clinical monitoring, and nuanced reassurance.”

The investigators did not report any financial disclosures.

In high-risk port-wine stain phenotypes – forehead, hemifacial, and median – early referral to a pediatric neurologist is the best way to enable early symptom recognition of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS), according to results of a literature review.

If imaging is desired, electroencephalography (EEG) is cheaper and more minimally invasive than MRI (Pediatr Dermatol. 2017 Oct 16. doi: 10.1111/pde.13304).

Of the 34 studies analyzed, none examined the correlation between early detection of presymptomatic SWS and earlier seizure detection. There were also no data to verify improved outcomes with early detection, Michaela Zallmann, MD, of the department of dermatology at Eastern Health, Monash University, Box Hill, Australia, and her coauthors reported. While this indicates a need for further studies, it also shows a need for improved education and clinical monitoring as standard practice.

Additionally, negative imaging results do not obviate the possibility of SWS diagnosis, the investigators reported. In the studies that recorded false negatives, MRI was negative in 3%-6% of infants who later became symptomatic. Of the seven infants with false-negative results, four were less than 6 months old when the initial imaging was conducted. The investigators noted that it is not known at what age a negative MRI can reliably exclude SWS.

When imaging was used for early detection, EEG was shown to be safer and less expensive than MRI, according to the review. Of children who were not anesthetized for MRI, 30%-50% showed considerable distress, while EEG was shown to be minimally invasive. Findings from a retrospective chart review show that 14 MRIs were performed to detect one asymptomatic case of SWS, costing $11,768. In comparison, EEG costs $87 for a routine outpatient study.

“Demonstrating brain involvement on MRI in infants with high-risk PWS may facilitate more stringent counseling and monitoring, but … a negative MRI does not obviate the need for neurologic counseling and monitoring,” the investigators wrote. “Allaying anxiety about diagnostic uncertainty is not achieved using a scan but through detailed education, appropriate clinical monitoring, and nuanced reassurance.”

The investigators did not report any financial disclosures.

PARIS – Lumateperone is a novel drug now in phase 3 clinical trials for schizophrenia, bipolar depression, and agitation associated with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, on the strength of strong performances in phase 2 studies, Cedric O’Gorman, MD, reported at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

The drug acts synergistically through the serotonergic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic systems, providing a unique mechanism of action well-suited for treatment of a range of neuropsychiatric disorders, observed Dr. O’Gorman, who was vice president of medical affairs at the drug’s developer, Intra-Cellular Therapies during the ECNP congress and is now senior vice president for clinical development and medical affairs at Axsome Therapeutics in New York.

Bruce Jancin/Frontline Medical News

[email protected]

PARIS – Lumateperone is a novel drug now in phase 3 clinical trials for schizophrenia, bipolar depression, and agitation associated with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, on the strength of strong performances in phase 2 studies, Cedric O’Gorman, MD, reported at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

The drug acts synergistically through the serotonergic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic systems, providing a unique mechanism of action well-suited for treatment of a range of neuropsychiatric disorders, observed Dr. O’Gorman, who was vice president of medical affairs at the drug’s developer, Intra-Cellular Therapies during the ECNP congress and is now senior vice president for clinical development and medical affairs at Axsome Therapeutics in New York.

Bruce Jancin/Frontline Medical News

[email protected]

PARIS – Lumateperone is a novel drug now in phase 3 clinical trials for schizophrenia, bipolar depression, and agitation associated with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, on the strength of strong performances in phase 2 studies, Cedric O’Gorman, MD, reported at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

The drug acts synergistically through the serotonergic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic systems, providing a unique mechanism of action well-suited for treatment of a range of neuropsychiatric disorders, observed Dr. O’Gorman, who was vice president of medical affairs at the drug’s developer, Intra-Cellular Therapies during the ECNP congress and is now senior vice president for clinical development and medical affairs at Axsome Therapeutics in New York.

Bruce Jancin/Frontline Medical News

[email protected]