Bone and Joint Institute
The Effects of Bundled Payment Programs for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty on Patient-Reported Outcomes
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2020
Journal
Journal of Arthroplasty
Volume
35
Issue
4
First Page
918
Last Page
925.e7
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1016/j.arth.2019.11.028
Abstract
© 2019 Elsevier Inc. Background: Patient-reported outcomes are essential to demonstrate the value of hip and knee arthroplasty, a common target for payment reforms. We compare patient-reported global and condition-specific outcomes after hip and knee arthroplasty based on hospital participation in Medicare's bundled payment programs. Methods: We performed a prospective observational study using the Comparative Effectiveness of Pulmonary Embolism Prevention after Hip and Knee Replacement trial. Differences in patient-reported outcomes through 6 months were compared between bundle and nonbundle hospitals using mixed-effects regression, controlling for baseline patient characteristics. Outcomes were the brief Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score or the brief Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Health Score, and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, measures of joint function, overall health, and pain, respectively. Results: Relative to nonbundled hospitals, arthroplasty patients at bundled hospitals had slightly lower improvement in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (−1.8 point relative difference at 6 months; 95% confidence interval −3.2 to −0.4; P =.011) and Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (−2.3 point relative difference at 6 months; 95% confidence interval −4.0 to −0.5; P =.010). However, these effects were small, and the proportions of patients who achieved a minimum clinically important difference were similar. Preoperative to postoperative change in the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Health Score and Numeric Pain Rating Scale demonstrated a similar pattern of slightly worse outcomes at bundled hospitals with similar rates of achieving a minimum clinically important difference. Conclusions: Patients receiving care at hospitals participating in Medicare's bundled payment programs do not have meaningfully worse improvements in patient-reported measures of function, health, or pain after hip or knee arthroplasty.
