title: Use of medical consultants for hospitalized surgical patients: an observational cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Payments around episodes of inpatient surgery vary widely among hospitals. As payers move toward bundled payments, understanding sources of variation, including use of medical consultants, is important.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the use of medical consultations for hospitalized surgical patients, factors associated with use, and practice variation across hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational retrospective cohort study of fee-for-service Medicare patients undergoing colectomy or total hip replacement (THR) between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2010, at US acute care hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of inpatient medical consultations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than half of patients undergoing colectomy (91,684) or THR (339,319) received at least 1 medical consultation while hospitalized (69% and 63%, respectively). Median consultant visits from a medicine physician were 9 (interquartile range [IQR], 4-19) for colectomy and 3 for THR (IQR, 2-5). The likelihood of having at least 1 medical consultation varied widely among hospitals (interquartile range [IQR], 50%-91% for colectomy and 36%-90% for THR). For colectomy, settings associated with greater use included nonteaching (adjusted risk ratio [ARR], 1.14 [95% CI, 1.04-1.26]) and for-profit (ARR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.01-1.20]). Variation in use of medical consultations was greater for colectomy patients without complications (IQR, 47%-79%) compared with those with complications (IQR, 90%-95%). Results stratified by complications were similar for THR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of medical consultations varied widely across hospitals, particularly for surgical patients without complications. Understanding the value of medical consultations will be important as hospitals prepare for bundled payments and strive to enhance efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor2VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan3Center for Healthcare Outcomes & Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor4Institute for Healthcare Policy.
authors.forename: Lena M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor6VA Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Adam S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Wilk
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthcare Outcomes & Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Jyothi R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Thumma
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthcare Outcomes & Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor4Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor7Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Birkmeyer
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthcare Outcomes & Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor4Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor8Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Mousumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banerjee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000191:economics; D003082:Colectomy / Q000191:economics; D017050:Episode of Care; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States
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