Orthopedics This Week reports on a recent study published in The Journal of Arthroplasty co-authored by Jonathan M. Vigdorchik, MD, hip and knee surgeon at HSS, entitled “Do Patient Point of Entry and Medicaid Status Affect Quality Outcomes Following Total Knee Arthroplasty?”.

“Our goal with this research was to evaluate whether patients using the same hospital protocols but different insurance types and different points of entry into the health care system (a private office versus a Medicaid-clinic) would have the same outcomes,” said Dr. Vigdorchik who explained that in light of the current economic and social climates, research into healthcare disparities is of utmost importance.

“We showed that with well-established protocols, regardless of insurance type or patient entry, the outcomes in these patients were the all same,” said Dr. Vigdorchik. “It is extremely important to note that some of the Medicaid patients did require a higher utilization of healthcare services and resources, and increased coordination of their care, which does cost more to the health system as these patients stayed in the hospital longer.”

Read the full article at Ryortho.com.