A study published in the March 15 issue of Spine examines whether U.S. News & World Report hospital rankings correlate with cervical fusion outcomes.
Study authors examined top hospitals for neurosurgery and orthopedics ranked by U.S. News & World Report from 2010 to 2014. They pulled data from the Medicare Standard Analytic Files on 110,520 patients who underwent one-, two- or three-level anterior cervical fusions at ranked and unranked hospitals. The researchers then compared 90-day outcomes and costs for the hospitals.
Four findings:
1. The difference in complication rates at ranked and unranked hospitals was not significant.
2. Ranked and unranked hospitals had the same revision surgery rates.
3. Ranked hospitals had slightly lower odds of renal complications than the unranked hospitals.
4. Charges for the 90-day episode of care were $17,053 more on average for the ranked hospitals. Ranked hospitals also had $1,695 higher average overall costs.
"Despite the higher charges and costs of care at ranked hospitals, these facilities appear to have similar outcomes as compared to unranked hospitals following elective [anterior cervical fusions]," concluded the study authors.