A rational process for the reform of the physician payment system.

UNLABELLED: Analysis of the resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) for physician payment indicates that in 1996, hourly reimbursement rates will be unrelated to the intensity of work and income will be unrelated to hours worked. A "consensus method" of payment is proposed as an alternative to the RBRVS. METHOD: As with the method of the RBRVS study, a pilot survey asked a specialty-representative cohort of physicians to assign dimensionless numbers to the relative value of work in 15 specialties using the Hsiao et al. definition of work intensity as "time modified by, a) mental effort, b) clinical judgment, c) technical skill, and d) physical effort under stress." The consensus method is similar to that of the Hsaio method, except there is no mathematical transformation of the raw data to establish specialty work values once the data are collected. A comparative analysis was then made of work hours, reimbursement rates, and annual income with 1) the customary prevailing and reasonable system (CPR, pre-1992), 2) the RBRVS system (1996), and 3) the proposed consensus system. RESULTS: The RBRVS intends that physicians be reimbursed on the basis of time and intensity of work. Neither the CPR nor the RBRVS systems accomplish this objective when the data and computational methods of the Physician Payment Review Commission are used with independently determined work intensity to compute hourly reimbursement rates in the specialties. The consensus method shows the desired direct linear correlation of income with both length of the physician's work week and intensity of effort. It rates the primary care specialties as a group more highly than the RBRVS. CONCLUSION: The proposed consensus method meets the original intent of the RBRVS to reimburse physicians on the basis of the resource input of time as modified by the criteria of Hsiao et al.

A critical analysis of the resource-based relative value scale.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND--There is a general perception that procedural medical services are reimbursed at an inappropriately greater rate than cognitive services. By congressional mandate, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has been directed to establish a Medicare fee schedule to shift funding under a budget-neutral assumption from procedural to cognitive services. To provide a rational basis for this change, Hsiao et al (Harvard-Hsiao) developed a resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) that equates the value of a service to the resources necessary to generate the service. METHODS--Instead of focusing on relative values and fee schedules ("price-per-unit-service"), the present study employs the standard commercial/industrial method of determining reimbursement rate (income divided by hours of labor) for 15 medical and surgical specialties. Data from independent sources are used to determine income and hours of professional effort for each of the specialties studied. Harvard-Hsiao and HCFA predicted the percent change in income for each of the specialties under the initial RBRVS and the HCFA fee schedule. The predicted income was then employed in this study to recompute reimbursement rates under the newly proposed payment systems. RESULTS: CURRENT PAYMENT SYSTEM--Average annual incomes for medical and surgical specialties are $124,500 and $176,600, respectively, a 42% difference (P = .03). Average weekly work hours (nominal hours, as adjusted for overtime) for medical and surgical specialties are 70.6 and 87.8, respectively (P = .005). Average hourly reimbursement rates for medical ($33.90) and surgical ($38.80) specialties are not substantially different (P, not significant). The difference in annual income is explained by the 17.2 hours per week of additional work hours by surgeons. The erroneous perception that procedurists are reimbursed at a higher rate than cognitive practitioners likely arises from differences in billing methods by which surgeons shift charges for cognitive work hours to the 18% of their time spent in the operating room. RESULTS: PROPOSED RBRVS AND HCFA PAYMENT SYSTEM--The income of all specialties is equalized about a mean of $132,500 (+/- $21,400 [1 SD]) by varying reimbursement rates in such a way that the effect of working hours is fully discounted. Reimbursement rates under the proposed payment system make no recognition of the hours of professional effort, postgraduate specialty training, or putative differences in the nature of the physician's work. CONCLUSION: --The RBRVS, and the HCFA fee schedule to the extent that it is based on that scale, are inappropriate bases for the reform of the physician reimbursement system.

Complications of gastroesophageal reflux.

An edited summary of an Interdepartmental Conference arranged by the Department of Medicine of the UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles. The Director of Conferences is William M. Pardridge, MD, Professor of Medicine. Several specialists have recently recognized that gastrointestinal reflux causes complications resulting in significant disease. It causes discomfort, indigestion, esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, and carcinoma of the esophagus. Pediatricians attribute many early pulmonary problems, and even some sudden deaths in infants, to the reflux of gastric contents. Otolaryngologists now recognize that many cases of nonbacterial, nonspecific pharyngitis and laryngitis are due to the reflux of gastrc acid secretions. Contact granuloma and cancer of the larynx may, in some instances, be secondary to nocturnal reflux. Thoracic surgeons and pulmonologists believe chronic tracheobronchitis and some cases of pulmonary disease are attributable to recurrent bathing of the respiratory epithelium by aspirated gastric contents. An awareness of the many complications of gastrointestinal reflux should lead to a multidisciplined attack on the factors responsible for these diseases.

Technology in health care: the social impact and economic cost.

The contribution of technology to longevity and the quality of life has been substantial during the twentieth century. In the past two decades, technology employed in the care of hospitalized patients has been responsible for most of the cost by which the medical inflation rate (Medical Economic Index) exceeds the consumer price index. In most instances, the marginal benefit from the incremental cost is too small to be measured. If this viewpoint is correct, and if governments continue to contain medical costs, the future use of technology will be limited to those applications which have a clearly demonstrable marginal benefit associated with their incremental cost.

Penetrating injuries by large objects. Presentation of three cases and review of literature.

Penetrating injuries with large objects are uncommon but dramatic. Immobilization of the patient and stabilization of the penetrating object during transport and administration of basic emergency support are essential to avoid increasing the damage already sustained. The object as well as the organs and vessels in its path should be exposed and controlled in the operating room prior to removal of the object. Thorough inspection, evaluation, and repair of injured structures can then be carried out. Aggressive prophylactic medication to prevent infection may further contribute to the improved survival of these patients.

Regional blood cardioplegic reperfusion during total vented bypass without thoracotomy: a new concept.

This study tests the hypothesis that immediate functional recovery is possible after 2 to 3 hours of regional ischemia by control of the conditions of reperfusion (i.e., total vented bypass) and the composition of the reperfusate (substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution) by either central cannulation with thoracotomy or peripheral cannulation without thoracotomy. Total vented bypass could be established successfully in each of 14 experiments (100%) in which the peripheral cannulation method was tested. Regional function (evaluated by ultrasonic crystals in open-chest animals) recovered comparably when substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution was given either globally or regionally (46% versus 36%) and total vented bypass was accomplished by either central cannulation or peripheral cannulation technique (i.e., left ventricle decompressed through a transaortic vent catheter, right atrium cannulated through the femoral vein, femoral artery perfusion). In contrast, systolic bulging persisted (-23% control systolic shortening) following normal blood reperfusion in beating, working hearts. Controlled reperfusion (either global or regional) also minimized postischemic edema (81% versus 83% water content, p less than 0.05). The effectiveness of controlled reperfusion (substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution during total vented bypass) versus uncontrolled reperfusion (normal blood in beating, working hearts) was assessed also in closed-chest dogs with 3 hours of regional ischemia (i.e., balloon inflation in the left anterior descending coronary artery). Results after controlled reperfusion showed complete recovery of contractility (as shown by echocardiography) at 24 hours, in comparison with only minimal recovery in three of eight dogs receiving uncontrolled reperfusion, and minimal histochemical damage (less than 5% triphenyltetrazolium chloride nonstaining), in comparison with 34% necrosis after uncontrolled reperfusion. These studies suggest that control of the reperfusion conditions and reperfusate composition can be achieved comparably in either the catheterization laboratory or the operating room, and a proposed clinical model for the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction is presented for evaluation.

Immediate functional recovery after six hours of regional ischemia by careful control of conditions of reperfusion and composition of reperfusate.

This study tests the hypothesis that irreversible muscle damage does not occur after as long as 6 hours of ischemia before reperfusion, immediate functional recovery is possible by controlling the conditions of reperfusion during total vented bypass and the composition of the reperfusate with substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution, and such control can be accomplished without thoracotomy. Of 43 dogs undergoing 2 to 6 hours of left anterior descending coronary occlusion, seven were studied by ultrastructural and mitochondrial analyses after 6 hours of regional coronary occlusion without reperfusion. Sixteen other dogs were reperfused with normal blood, with the heart in the beating state after 2 to 4 hours of ischemia, and 20 dogs received regional substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic reperfusion after 2 to 6 hours of ischemia for 20 minutes during total vented bypass accomplished through the femoral artery, femoral vein, and transaortic left ventricular venting. Six hours of ischemia without reperfusion caused minimal changes in mitochondrial structure and retained mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate production capacity at 64% of control values despite complete depletion of tissue adenosine triphosphate. Reperfusion with normal blood in the beating, working hearts caused extensive structural damage, reduced reflow, and failed to restore contractility in any instance (-27% systolic shortening, p less than 0.05). In contrast, regional cardioplegic reperfusion during total vented bypass at 2, 4, and 6 hours caused 52 +/- 3%, 41 +/- 7%, and 21 +/- 6% immediate recovery of regional contractile function. The seven hearts reperfused at 6 hours of ischemia had more segmental shortening (21% versus -27%, p less than 0.05), less edema (81% versus 83% water content, p less than 0.05), and more postischemic flow (57 versus 18 ml/100 gm/min in subendocardial muscle, p less than 0.05) than did 2-hour controls, and postischemic ultrastructure was not altered by reperfusion. Six hours of ischemia does not produce irreversible damage, and immediate recovery of contractile function is possible if the conditions of reperfusion are controlled with total vented bypass and a regional substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution is administered. Such control can be obtained by the peripheral cannulation technique.

Safety of prolonged aortic clamping with blood cardioplegia. I. Glutamate enrichment in normal hearts.

This study compares the protection provided by prolonged (4 hours) aortic clamping with glutamate-enriched potassium blood cardioplegia (n = 8) to (1) prolonged (4 hours) aortic clamping with multidose potassium blood cardioplegia without glutamate (n = 4), (2) 4 hours of continuous perfusion of the beating empty heart (n = 7), and (3) 15 minutes of normothermic ischemia (n = 10). According to measurements of myocardial oxygen uptake, left ventricular compliance, left ventricular contractility, and stroke work performance, no statistical difference could be detected between those hearts receiving blood cardioplegia either with or without glutamate enrichment. In both of these groups, myocardial protection was excellent, as demonstrated by the following: postischemic myocardial oxygen uptake 43% (p less than 0.05) above control, 95% +/- 6% recovery of the left ventricular compliance, a 97% +/- 5% return of the left ventricular contractility, and a 91% +/- 6% recovery of stroke work index. Contrary to the excellent recovery of those hearts receiving blood cardioplegic protection, those hearts undergoing 4 hours of continuous perfusion showed a 45% +/- 16% (p less than 0.05) loss of left ventricular compliance and a 72% +/- 8% (p less than 0.05) recovery of stroke work index; those hearts experiencing 15 minutes of normothermic ischemia showed a 74% +/- 6% (p less than 0.05) return of left ventricular compliance, a 30% +/- 5% (p less than 0.05) decrease in contractility, and a 56% +/- 5% (p less than 0.05) recovery of postischemic left ventricular stroke work.

Reducing postischemic damage by temporary modification of reperfusate calcium, potassium, pH, and osmolarity.

This study was designed to determine if ischemic damage could be reduced by modifying blood composition upon reperfusion. After control data had been obtained in seven dogs on prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass, 71 dogs underwent 1 hour of ischemic arrest with topical hypothermia (left ventricular temperature 16 degrees C). We measured left ventricular performance (isovolumetric function curves), compliance (intraventricular balloon), blood flow (microspheres), metabolism (oxygen consumption), and water content (wet/dry weights) before and 30 minutes after ischemia. The initial reperfusate was 500 cc of oxygenated blood given over a period of 5 minutes. Without temporary reperfusate modification, postischemic left ventricular performance was depressed 40% +/- 3%, compliance fell 50% +/- 12%, water content rose 2.5% +/- 0.1%, and left ventricular blood flow and oxygen uptake increased only minimally when cardiac work was increased (function curve). These deleterious changes were reduced significantly, but not prevented, by the following isolated reperfusate modifications: (1) lowering amount of ionic calcium available for cell entry, (2) raising pH to 7.8 to counteract acidosis, (3) raising potassium level to maintain arrest and reduce metabolic demands, and (4) increasing osmolarity (mannitol, 360 mOsm) to counteract edema. In contrast, by combining these modifications to achieve a hypocalcemic, hyperkalemic, alkalotic, and hyperosmolar blood perfusate, it was possible to attain 104% +/- 1% recovery of myocardial performance, 80% +/- 1% restoration of compliance, 60% less postischemic edema, and near-normal augmentation of left ventricular flow and oxygen uptake to meet increasing needs.

Detrimental effects of premature use of inotropic drugs to discontinue cardiopulmonary bypass.

Ten dogs underwent 45 minutes of normothermic ischemic arrest. After 15 minutes of reoxygenation, none could support the systemic circulation independently. In five dogs, we could discontinue bypass (cardic output 70 to 100 cc/kg/min) by giving dopamine (10 to 30 mcg/kg/min). In five other dogs, total cardiopulmonary bypass was prolonged for an additional 30 minutes and no dopamine was given. During control and at 15 and 45 minutes after aortic unclamping, we measured myocardial blood flow (microspheres), metabolism (oxygen uptake and lactate), water content (wet/dry weight), left ventricular compliance (intraventricular balloon), and performance (isovolumetric and Starling function curves). Dogs treated with prolonged bypass showed progressive improvement in ventricular compliance, function, and water content and did not require inotropic drugs when bypass was discontinued 45 minutes after ischemia. In contrast, dogs receiving dopamine exhibited more myocardial edema (3.3% versus 1.7% water gain), worse ventricular compliance (18% versus 55% recovered at 25 ml left ventricular volume), poorer contractility (58% versus 70% recovery of +dP/dt), generated 50% less stroke work at a left atrial pressure of 25 mm Hg (0.25 versus 0.52 gm/kg), failed to augment oxygen uptake to meet the metabolic demands of the working heart (11% versus 45% increase in oxygen uptake), and required continued inotropic support to discontinue extracorporeal circulation. We conclude that (1) limited prolongation of total bypass enhances recovery from ischemic damage and (2) use of inotropic drugs to prematurely discontinue extracorporeal circulation will impede recovery by accentuating myocardial edema and further decreasing ventricular compliance, performance, and oxygen utilization.

Reversal of ischemic damage with amino acid substrate enhancement during reperfusion.

Twenty dogs underwent 15 minutes of normothermic ischemic arrest and 30 minutes of reperfusion while on cardiopulmonary bypass. In 10 control dogs, the reperfusate blood was not modified. In 10 other dogs, the aorta was reclamped and the heart reperfused for 5 minutes with blood containing L-glutamate (0.026M). We measured coronary blood flow (microspheres), left ventricular (LV) metabolism [O2 content, adenosine triphosphate (ATP)], LV compliance (intraventricular balloon), and LV performance (balloon and Starling curves) before and 30 minutes after ischemia. Fifteen minutes of ischemic arrest produced significant depression in contractility and oxidative metabolism. L-Glutamate infusion resulted in higher oxygen uptakes (9.7 versus 6.9 cc/100 gm/min) and allowed more complete recovery of ATP content (80% versus 67%). Glutamate-treated hearts had more complete recovery in the rate of contraction, +dP/dt, (96% versus 68%), and relaxation, --dP/dt (99% versus 72%), the best recovery of compliance (74% versus 88%), and complete (100%) recovery of stroke work index (1.55% versus 0.87% gm - m/kg). We conclude that the addition of L-glutamate to reperfusate blood reverses ischemic damage. We suspect that l-glutamate acts by replenishing Krebs' cycle intermediates lost during ischemia, thereby stimulating oxidative metabolism and enhancing ATP production.

[Effect of pH adjustment in deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest (author's transl)]. / Der Effekt eines angepassten Blut-pH-Wertes in tiefer Hypothermie und nach Kreislaufstillstand.

In 14 puppies, body temperature was lowered to 22 degrees C with surface hypothermia, then to 16 degrees C with textracorporeal circulation. During 60 min of circulatory arrest all hearts were protected with the same multidose blood cardioplegic solution. In seven dogs pH was kept at 7.4 and in seven others pH was varied as in poikilotherms (i.e. 7.95 at 16 degrees C) principally by adjusting pCO2 during cooling and rewarming. Appropriate pH adjustment allowed higher cardiac output with normal systemic lactate metabolism. Raising pH by lowering pCO2 to 10 mm Hg allowed twice as much cerebral blood flow. Postischemic myocardial performance was depressed by 50% by retaining pH 7.4 and was normal when pH was varied appropriately. These findings have major implications for the routine management of hypothermia during cardiac operations.