The impact of new hospital orthopaedic surgery programs on total joint arthroplasty utilization.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Utilization of arthroplasty is increasing, but there are little data exploring the causes of this increase. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between new programs for arthroplasty of the lower extremity joints and the utilization of arthroplasty.

Methods

We identified twenty-four markets (hospital referral regions) that experienced the entry of new physician-owned specialty hospitals, using 1991 to 2005 Medicare data. We matched each market with a new specialty hospital to two different control markets (one market with a new arthroplasty program in a general hospital and one market without a new arthroplasty program), using a propensity score that accounted for market supply and demand for orthopaedic surgery and the regulatory environmen

SUBMITTER: Lu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2874670 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature