Title: the impact of a pilot integrated care model on the quality and costs of inpatient care among chinese elderly: a difference-in-difference analysis of repeated cross-sectional data

Background

Recently, integrated care has received tremendous popularity in China, a leading example of which is the Luohu model. In the present analysis, we aimed to examine the impacts of the Luohu model on the quality and costs of inpatient care.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis using administrative claims databases of Shenzhen City (the city that the Luohu district sits) from Jan 2015–Apr 2017, which encompassed the time before and after the implementation of the pilot model. The outcomes were 30-day readmission, inpatient costs, and length of stay (LOS). Multivariable difference-in-difference analyses were conducted.

Results

In the first year following the integration, the Luohu model did not have impacts on any of the outcomes. Although its effect on readmission (ratio of odds ratio: 1.082; 95% CI: 0.865 to 1.353) was still not identified in the first four months of the second post-integration year, it decreased inpatient costs by CN¥ 1224.1 (95% CI: 372.7 to 2075.5) and LOS by 0.938 days (95% CI: 0.0416 to 1.835) per hospitalization episode during the same period.

Conclusions

The Luohu model may reduce costs and LOS in the long term. It is potentially a viable approach to improve the value of inpatient care in China.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12962-022-00361-4.

Cost containment by peer prior authorization program for second line treatment in patients with retinal disease

Background

High and increasing drug prices have prompted the establishment of a broad range of cost-containment treatment policies in health systems globally. In 2012, the supplemental insurance program of a large Israeli health maintenance organization (Clalit Health Services) introduced a prior authorization process for second-line use of ranibizumab in patients with retinal disease for whom treatment with bevacizumab proved to be ineffective. A Clalit steering committee established authorization criteria based on cost and periodically updated clinical considerations, while a team of ophthalmic specialists evaluated their colleagues’ individual patient subsidization requests, based on the funding criteria. The objectives of this study were to detail this unique authorization process and study its effectiveness in limiting unwarranted spending, while allowing for a smooth transition to a second-line more expensive drug when needed.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study including all applications for a first or ongoing treatment with ranibizumab, for one or both eyes, received during March 1, 2012 - December 31, 2015. The key parameters examined were percentages of requests from patients treated by first line treatment bevacizumab, requests approved, reapplications, and results. Requests studied include reapplications and requests for treatment continuation.

Results

During the study period, Clalit affiliated ophthalmologists’ submitted 16,778 funding applications for intravitreal ranibizumab treatment on behalf of 5642 patients who applied for approximately three applications. An efficient sentinel effect was achieved, resulting in only 31% of patients treated with bevacizumab applying for treatment, while maintaining extremely high accessibility to second line treatment with almost 95% of requests being approved.

Conclusions

The data presented shows a low request rate for funding with a high approval rate, proving this peer reviewed report-based authorization process successfully achieved a sentinel effect while controlling cost. We suggest this innovative model be considered in similar decisions processes.

Emergency department encounters for opioid abuse, adverse events, poisoning, and dependence among members of a community-based health insurance plan-Central Texas, 2016-2018

Background

The United States appears to be in the midst of an opioid epidemic. National data indicate a rise in emergency department visits for opioid-related causes over the past decade. This data, while important in helping to explain the magnitude of the epidemic nationally offers only a glimpse of what can be expected to occur locally. The objective of this secondary data analysis was to describe the impact that opioid abuse, adverse events, poisoning, and dependence have on emergency department utilization for individuals who purchased health insurance under the Affordable Care Act in Central Texas from a community-based health maintenance organization.

Methods

Individuals who purchased health insurance from Sendero Health Plans in calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018 were eligible for participation if they had both an emergency department encounter and an opioid-related ICD-10-CM diagnosis. Eligible individuals were assessed to determine if they were dispensed an opioid agonist or opioid antagonist prescription during the year of their emergency department encounter. Sendero medical claims data for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018 were used to calculate both the incidence and ratio of emergency department visits per 100,000-person Sendero member population. Sendero data were compared to available national data estimates.

Results

A total of 55 individuals had an emergency department encounter with a primary or secondary opioid-related diagnosis from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018. These 55 individuals had 69 unique emergency department encounters during this time period. The incidence of new claims per 100,000-member Sendero population was 67.1, 64.5, and 62.6 in 2016, 2017, and 2018 respectively. The ratio of unique emergency department encounters per 100,000-member Sendero population was 95.9, 82.6, and 66.5 in 2016, 2017, and 2018 respectively.

Conclusion

Health insurance claims data from a community-based health plan can be used as a source of local information by policy makers and officials as they seek to address the impact of opioid abuse, adverse events, poisoning, and dependence in Central Texas as national data may not represent the local impact of this epidemic.

Management of antithrombotic agents for colonoscopic polypectomies in Israeli gastroenterologists relative to published guidelines

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic procedures are commonly performed in patients taking antithrombotic agents.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the correlation between the management of antithrombotic drugs for colonoscopic polypectomies and the published guidelines.

DESIGN AND SETTINGS

A structured survey delivered to gastroenterologists in 15 major Israeli hospitals and three central HMO clinics.

RESULTS

We collected 100 filled out surveys. Polypectomies on aspirin were performed by 78%. Most physicians did not perform polypectomies on clopidogrel. None of the physicians performed polypectomies on warfarin. Cessation of aspirin for ≥ 3 days post-polypectomy was recommended by 60%. Renewal of LMWH or warfarin was recommended ≥ 2 days post-polepectomy in 91% and 71%, respectively. The greatest variation in recommendations was found for clopidogrel, where the majority of gastroenterologists advised renewal after 1-2 days (38%). Years in practice and increasing colonoscopy volume work had no significant association with management of antithrombotic agents. Working in a HMO clinic was associated with lower rates of polypectomies on aspirin (P=0.036).

DISCUSSION

When the guidelines are clear, most gastroenterologists practice according to the existing recommendation. However, lack of prospective studies limits the ability to publish evidence-based recommendation and guidelines. We found that the practice of our cohort study varies in these situations.