Cody Lendon Mullens, Andrew M Ibrahim, Nina M Clark, Nicholas Kunnath, Joseph L Dieleman, Justin B Dimick, John W Scott
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: To quantify recent trends in access to timely, high-quality, affordable surgical care in the US.
Background: Insufficient access to surgical care remains an ongoing concern in the US. Previous attempts to understand and quantify barriers in access to surgical care in the US lack a comprehensive, policy-relevant lens.
Methods: This observational cross-sectional study evaluates multiple domains of access to surgical care across the US from 2011-2015 and 2016-2020. Our stepwise model included timeliness (<60-minute drive time), quality (surgically capable hospital with ≥3 CMS stars), and affordability (neither uninsured nor underinsured) of access to surgical care using a novel combination of data from the American Hospital Association, Medicare claims, CMS's Five-Star Quality Rating System, the American Community Survey, and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
Results: The number of Americans lacking access to timely, high-quality, affordable surgical care increased from 97.7 million in 2010-2015 to 98.7 million in 2016-2020. Comparing these two periods, we found improvements in the number of Americans lacking access due to being uninsured (decrease from 38.5 to 26.5 million). However, these improvements were offset by increasing numbers of Americans for whom timeliness (increase from 9.5 to 14.1 million), quality (increase from 3.4 to 4.9 million), and underinsured status (increase from 46.3 to 53.1 million) increased as barriers to access. Multiple sensitivity analyses using alternative thresholds for each access domain demonstrated similar trends. Those with insufficient access to care tended to be more rural (6.7% vs. 2.0%, P<0.001), lower income (40.7% vs. 30.0%, P<0.001), and of Hispanic ethnicity (35.9% vs. 15.8%, P<0.001).
Conclusions: Nearly one-in-three Americans lack access to surgical care that is timely, high-quality, and affordable. This study identifies the multiple actionable drivers of access to surgical care that notably can each be addressed with specific policy interventions.
期刊介绍：
The Annals of Surgery is a renowned surgery journal, recognized globally for its extensive scholarly references. It serves as a valuable resource for the international medical community by disseminating knowledge regarding important developments in surgical science and practice. Surgeons regularly turn to the Annals of Surgery to stay updated on innovative practices and techniques. The journal also offers special editorial features such as "Advances in Surgical Technique," offering timely coverage of ongoing clinical issues. Additionally, the journal publishes monthly review articles that address the latest concerns in surgical practice.
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