Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Existing venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk scores help identify patients at increased risk of postoperative VTE who warrant extended prophylaxis in the first 30 days. However, these methods do not address factors unique to colorectal surgery, wherein the tumor location and operation performed vary widely. VTE risk may extend past 30 days. Therefore, we aimed to determine the roles of tumor location and operation in VTE development and evaluate VTE incidence through 90 days postoperatively. ⋯ When considering extended VTE prophylaxis after colorectal surgery, clinicians should account for the operation performed and the location of the tumor. Further study is necessary to determine the optimal length of VTE prophylaxis in high-risk individuals.
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Despite minimal coding and billing training, surgeons are frequently tasked with both in clinical practice. This often results in denials for reimbursement based on incorrect or insufficient documentation, and reduced collections for work performed. We sought to evaluate how to correct these deficits while improving reimbursement for the most frequently rejected procedures at a high-volume academic center. ⋯ This is the first study to systematically evaluate a pathway for using denial data to improve collections for work performed at a high-volume academic pediatric surgery practice. Using this methodology, targets for improvement in coding and/or documentation can be identified to improve the financial performance of a surgical department. This study also provides evidence that association with nonspecific diagnostic codes is correlated with initial denial of payment by insurance companies.
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A pre-existing nationwide nursing shortage drastically worsened during the pandemic, causing a significant increase in nursing labor costs. We examined the financial impact of these changes on department of surgery financial margins. ⋯ Our results demonstrate a significant increase in surgical nursing labor costs with a resultant erosion of department of surgery financial margins. Use of real-time accounting data instead of commonly touted administrative approximations or Medicare projections increases both the accuracy and generalizability of the data. The long-term impact of both direct costs from supply chain interruption and indirect costs, such as limited operating room and ICU access, will require further study. Clearly this ominous trend is not viable, and fiscal recovery will require sustained, strategic workforce allocation.