An article published in the February 2014 edition of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine examines the outcomes and cost of spinal cord tumor surgery in the United States. The researchers examined 15,545 admissions from the U.S. Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. The patients were either discharged home or to self-care and the overall mortality rate was 0.46 percent. The researchers found the average hospitalization cost increased from $45,452.24 in 2003 to $76,698.96 in 2010.
The independent predictors of adverse discharge disposition were:
- Elderly patients
- Female
- Black race
- Lower median household income
- Nonprivate insurance
- Higher comorbidity index
- Complications
- Larger hospital size
- Northeast region
- Weekend admission
- Non-elective admission
The factors associated with higher hospital charges were:
- Young patients
- Higher median household income
- Nonprivate insurance
- Complications
- Higher comorbidity index
- High volume hospitals
- Western region
- Teaching hospitals
- Weekend admissions
- Nonelective admissions
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