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National Trends in Hospitalization Charges and Utilization of Otological Procedures for Cleft Lip and Palate Patients
Yida Cai BA, Lesley Summerville BS, ScM, Samuel Boas BS, Irene Chang BS, Anand Kumar, MD
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
2020-01-31
Presenter: Yida Cai
Affidavit:
I certify that the material proposed for presentation in this abstract has not been published in any scientific journal or previously presented at a major meeting. The submitted abstract represents entirely original work by medical students and residents included.
Director Name: Anand Kumar MD
Author Category: Medical Student
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: Craniomaxillofacial
Purpose: The otological burden and utilization in patients with cleft lip and palate remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine national trends in utilization and hospitalization charges associated with otological procedures for cleft lip and palate patients.
Methods: The National Inpatient Sample database was analyzed from January 2007 to December 2014. All patients diagnosed with cleft lip or palate who underwent otological procedures were included. Univariate and generalized linear models were used to analyze factors of interest and hospitalization charges, as well as changes in these factors over multiple years.
Results: 62,471 patients were diagnosed cleft lip or palate between January 2007 and December 2014. 4178 (6.7%) received an otological procedure, including myringotomy (3479, 83.3%), auditory function testing (447, 10.7%) and tonsillectomy (110, 2.6%). Procedure volume did not change significantly (p = 0.06). Higher procedure volume was associated with large bedsizes (p < 0.001), non-profit hospitals (p < 0.001) and urban teaching hospitals (p < 0.001). The average hospital charge was $28,108.87 (interquartile range: $12,529.55 – $32,854.57). Hospitalization charges also increased significantly (p < 0.001), in conjunction with a hospital length of stay of 1.91 days that did not change significantly (p = 0.149).
Conclusions: Otological procedures for patients with cleft lip and palate appear to be utilized mainly at larger, urban teaching and non-profit private hospitals. While length of stay and procedure volume remained stable, hospitalization charges rose significantly. Further studies will be done to examine other factors that could be driving the increased hospitalization charges.
