Local referrals as a strategy for increasing value of surgical care among medicare patients undergoing liver and pancreatic surgery

BackgroundThe focus of the current Medicare payment reform is to increase value – i.e. improve health care quality while lowering costs. This study sought to define cost variation and surgical quality among hospitals within small geographic areas typical of work commute patterns.MethodsMedicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) Inpatient Files was used to identify patients undergoing elective liver and pancreatic surgery between 2013 and...