26 Oct Patients Greatly Underestimate Reimbursement For Orthopedic Procedures
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Kelechi Okoroha
Kelechi Okoroha, M.D.
Orthopaedic Surgery House Officer
Henry Ford Health System
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Historically, patient perceptions of surgeon reimbursement have been exaggerated compared with actual reimbursement. Currently there has been an increased focus or reducing health care cost, increasing access to health care and a shift to tie Medicare and insurance reimbursement to quality outcomes. Among these changes was the reduction in reimbursement payments for orthopedic surgeons. When we polled over 200 of our clinic patients, we found that most patients don’t think an orthopedic surgeon is overpaid but they greatly exaggerate how much a surgeon is reimbursed by Medicare for performing knee surgery. When told of the reimbursement payments, patients found them too be low and said they would be willing to pay more out-of-pocket costs. Patients also believe a surgeon should be compensated more for having fellowship training.
• Nearly 90 percent of patients say physicians are not overpaid and their salaries should not be cut.
• 61 percent of patients say a surgeon’s salary should not be tied to outcomes.
• 79 percent of patients say reimbursement to drug and device companies should be reduced.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Our study demonstrates that patients place a higher value on these procedures than what is reimbursed and are willing to pay more out of pocket costs. When told of the actual reimbursement payments, patients believed the payments should have been at least five times more than the current value.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Future research should evaluate whether there may be a correlation between orthopedic surgeon reimbursement and patient satisfaction. Another area that needs further evaluation is the relationship between new Medicare quality outcome measures and patient satisfaction.
MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Response: Although there has been a shift in medicine to patient based variables including patient satisfaction and outcomes, there has been little to no evaluation of patient value in procedures. Now multiple studies across the orthopedic literature have demonstrated that patients place more value in the orthopedic procedures that are performed than the surgeons are reimbursed for the procedures.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
Note: Content Kelechi R. Okoroha, MD; Robert A. Keller, MD; Nathan E. Marshall, MD; Jonathan R. Lynch, MD; John-Michael Guest, BS; Terrance Lock, MD; Brian Rill, MD
Orthopedics
September/October 2016 – Volume 39 · Issue 5: e904-e910
Posted September 19, 2016
DOI: 10.3928/01477447-20160623-03
Note: Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on October 26, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD