Productivity improvements in hip and knee surgery.
Productivity improvements that occur as technologies become widely used are not well documented. This study measured secular trends over 1998-2010 in productivity of hip and knee procedures gauged in terms of changes in physical function and pain after versus before surgery. We used data from the Health and Retirement Study. Health outcomes from surgery were measured by 6 physical functioning scales and 2 pain indicators. We used propensity score matching to obtain nonsurgery control groups. Not only were there substantial improvements in physical functioning and pain reduction after receipt of these procedures in all years, but also we documented improvements in health outcomes over time. Largest improvements were for reductions in numbers of Activity and Instrumental Activity of Daily Living limitations for knee procedures.
Department of Economics, Duke University, P.O. Box 90097, Durham, NC 27708-0097, USA.
Frank A
FA
Sloan
Department of Sociology and Center for the Study of Aging, Duke University, P.O. Box 90088, Durham, NC 27708-0088, USA.
Linda K
LK
George
Center for the Study of Aging, Duke University Medical Center, P.O. Box 3003, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Linyan
L
Hu