Surgonomics: the cost dynamics of craniotomy.
|
| Abstract |
Prospective payment systems using the diagnostic related group (DRG) mechanism are being phased in for Medicare inpatient hospital care. The purpose of this study was to examine a common neurosurgical procedure (001), craniotomy without trauma, and characterize the cost dynamics of this DRG. All patients (n = 50) treated in this DRG at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center during 1983 had their financial charges exclusive of physician fees examined. The findings were: (a) each hospital service category had wide charge variances around the mean; (b) emergency (ER) admissions were 200% more expensive than nonemergency (non-ER) admissions; (c) ER admissions seemed to have no greater severity of illness than non-ER admissions, but had a significantly different referral pattern (i.e., admission from the ER to a nonneurosurgical service with a subsequent neurosurgical referral); (d) this DRG when grouped into clinical "subproducts" (i.e., craniotomy for tumor, hematoma, hydrocephalus, aneurysm, benign cyst, and other) showed marked charge differences; and (e) the most expensive 25% of patients had five times higher charges than the least expensive 25% for both ER and non-ER admissions. This type of financial analysis may give surgeons a methodology with which to address the problems of cost containment in a more serious manner.
|
|---|---|
| Authors | E Muñoz, H Byun, P Patel, A Laughlin, I B Margolis, L Wise |
| Journal | Neurosurgery (Neurosurgery) Vol. 18 Issue 3 Pg. 321-6 (Mar 1986) ISSN: 0148-396X [Print] United States |
| PMID | 3084993 (Publication Type: Journal Article) |
| Topics |
|
Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!