Disparities in Reportable Quality Metrics by Insurance Status in the Primary Spine Neoplasm Population

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN-Retrospective cohort study.BACKGROUND CONTEXT-CMS defines "adverse quality events" as the incidence of certain complications such as post-surgical hematoma and/or iatrogenic pneumothorax during an inpatient stay. Patient safety indicators (PSI) are a means to measure the incidence of these adverse events. When these occur, reimbursement to the hospital decreases. The incidence of adverse quality events among patients hospitalized for primary spinal neoplasms is unknown. Similarly, it is unclear what the impact of insurance status is on adverse care quality among this patient population.