The hospital with the most unnecessary spinal fusions had an overuse rate of 62.8%%, while hospitals with lower rates were under 4%, according to a report from the Lown Institute.
The Nov. 14 report included hospitals that performed at least 500 total spinal fusion/laminectomies over three years. Overuse rates were measured as the proportion of total procedures that met overuse criteria.
The average overuse rate for all U.S. hospitals was 14%.
Here are the five hospitals with the lowest overuse rates for spinal fusion:
Avala Hospital (Covington, La.): 0.1%
Northwest Specialty Hospital (Post Falls, Idaho): 1.2%
Fresno (Calif.) Surgical Hospital: 1.2%
Baylor Surgical Hospital at Las Colinas (Irving, Texas): 1.3%
Christus Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler (Texas): 1.7%
Here are the five hospitals with the highest overuse rates for spinal fusion:
Mount Nittany Medical Center (State College, Pa.): 62.8%
The Medical Center of Aurora (Colo.): 42.1%
Jefferson Abington (Pa.) Hospital: 40.6%
Concord (N.H) Hospital: 40.6%
Heritage Valley Sewickley (Pa.): 40.1%