The Association Between Provider Price and Complication Rates for Outpatient Surgical Services.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Wide variations exist in price and quality for health-care services, but the link between price and quality remains uncertain.

Objective

This paper used claims data from a large commercially insured population to assess the association between both procedure- and provider-level prices and complication rates for three common outpatient surgical services.

Design

This is a retrospective cohort study.

Setting

The study used medical claims data from commercial health plans between 2009 and 2013 for three outpatient surgical services-joint arthroscopy, cataract surgery, and colonoscopy.

Main measures

For each procedure, price was assessed as the sum of patient, employer, and insurer spending. Complications were identified using existing algorithms s

SUBMITTER: Whaley C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6082222 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature