Use of Physical Therapy Following Total Knee Replacement Surgery: Implications of Orthopedic Surgeons' Ownership of Physical Therapy Services.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine whether the course of physical therapy treatments received by patients who undergo total knee replacement (TKR) surgery differs depending on whether the orthopedic surgeon has a financial stake in physical therapy services.

Data

Sample of Medicare beneficiaries who underwent TKR surgery during the years 2007-2009.

Study design

We used regression analysis to evaluate the effect of physician self-referral on the following outcomes: (1) time from discharge to first physical therapy visit; (2) episode length; (3) number of physical therapy visits per episode; (4) number of physical therapy service units per episode; and (5) number of physical therapy services per episode expressed in relative value units.

Principal findings

TKR patients who und

SUBMITTER: Mitchell JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5034217 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature