Is Post-discharge Rehabilitation Timing Associated with 90-Day Readmission in Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty?

Background: Physical therapy (PT) is an accepted standard of care after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and essential to maximizing joint functionality and minimizing complications that lead to readmission. However, evidence-based guidelines about appropriate post-discharge rehabilitative care are not well-defined in the orthopedic literature.

Purposes: We sought to determine the average timing for receiving PT rehabilitation and to evaluate the association between PT rehabilitation timing and unplanned readmission within 90 days of a TJA patient being discharged home from acute care.

What Factors are Associated With 90-day Episode-of-care Payments for Younger Patients With Total Joint Arthroplasty?

Background: Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has been identified as a procedure with substantial variations in inpatient and postacute care payments. Most studies in this area have focused primarily on the Medicare population and rarely have characterized the younger commercially insured populations. Understanding the inpatient and postdischarge care service-component differences across 90-day episodes of care and factors associated with payments for younger patients is crucial for successful implementation of bundled payments in TJA in non-Medicare populations.

Fine particulate matter components and emergency department visits among a privately insured population in Greater Houston.

Although adverse health effects of PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5μm) mass have been extensively studied, it remains unclear regarding which PM2.

Effect of Public Reporting on MR Imaging Use for Low Back Pain.

Purpose: To determine whether magnetic resonance (MR) imaging examination rates for low back pain before conservative therapy in the Medicare and privately insured populations changed after introduction of a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services public reporting initiative.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained, with waiver of informed consent. A retrospective study was performed by using fee-for-service claims data from Medicare and a commercial carrier (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas [BCBSTX]) for Texas enrollees.