Here are five things to know.
1. This study examined the rate at which cervical spine fusion procedures increased at low-, medium-, and high-volume hospitals in New York. The study authors retrospectively reviewed the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database from 2005 to 2014.
2. Low-volume centers were more likely to be rural and non-teaching hospitals. African-American patients comprised a greater portion of patients at low-volume hospitals —15.1 percent versus 11.6 percent at high-volume hospitals.
3. Compared with white patients, African-American patients had higher rates of postoperative infection and postoperative bleeding.
4. Compared with privately-insured patients, Medicaid patients had a higher rate of postoperative bleeding and in-hospital mortality.
5. The authors suggest that these racial and socioeconomic disparities may be due in part to care accessibility at high-volume centers.
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