Featured Publications
Identifying high-value care for Medicare beneficiaries: a cross-sectional study of acute care hospitals in the USA
Herrin J, Yu H, Venkatesh AK, Desai SM, Thiel CL, Lin Z, Bernheim SM, Horwitz LI. Identifying high-value care for Medicare beneficiaries: a cross-sectional study of acute care hospitals in the USA. BMJ Open 2022, 12: e053629. PMID: 35361641, PMCID: PMC8971780, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053629.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute care hospitalsHigh-value careStar hospitalsCare hospitalMedicare spendingEligible Medicare patientsRetrospective observational studyCross-sectional studyNon-teaching statusHigh-quality careHigh-quality hospitalsLow-cost hospitalsHigh-cost hospitalsCharacteristics of hospitalsValue of careSecondary outcomesPrimary outcomeMedicare patientsObservational studyMedicare beneficiariesHospitalQuality careOverall star ratingHospital Value
2019
Income disparities in needle biopsy patients prior to breast cancer surgery across physician peer groups
Killelea BK, Herrin J, Soulos PR, Pollack CE, Forman HP, Yu J, Xu X, Tannenbaum S, Wang SY, Gross CP. Income disparities in needle biopsy patients prior to breast cancer surgery across physician peer groups. Breast Cancer 2019, 27: 381-388. PMID: 31792804, PMCID: PMC7512133, DOI: 10.1007/s12282-019-01028-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPhysician peer groupsLow-income patientsNeedle biopsyOdds ratioHigh-income patientsBreast cancer surgeryMethodsThe SurveillanceCancer surgeryIncome patientsMedicare databaseBiopsy patientsMedicare beneficiariesPatientsBiopsyLow incomeGroupDisparitiesReceiptEnd resultHigher incomeSurgeryPeer groupEpidemiologyFurther workGroup-level effectsPeer Influence on Physician Use of Shorter Course External Beam Radiation Therapy for Patients with Breast Cancer
Yu JB, Pollack CE, Herrin J, Soulos PR, Zhu W, Xu X, Gross CP. Peer Influence on Physician Use of Shorter Course External Beam Radiation Therapy for Patients with Breast Cancer. Practical Radiation Oncology 2019, 10: 75-83. PMID: 31785370, PMCID: PMC7061062, DOI: 10.1016/j.prro.2019.11.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdjuvant external beam radiation therapyExternal beam radiation therapyPhysician peer groupsPalliative external beam radiation therapyBeam radiation therapyBreast cancerAdjuvant therapyBone metastasesPatient receiptRadiation therapyBreast-conserving surgeryMixed-effects logistic regressionPatient-sharing relationshipsPalliative therapyCancer careMedicare beneficiariesPatientsPhysician useTherapyLogistic regressionShort courseCancerPhysiciansGroup rateMetastasisHospital Variation in Spending for Lung Cancer Resection in Medicare Beneficiaries
Jean RA, Bongiovanni T, Soulos PR, Chiu AS, Herrin J, Kim N, Xu X, Kim AW, Gross CP. Hospital Variation in Spending for Lung Cancer Resection in Medicare Beneficiaries. The Annals Of Thoracic Surgery 2019, 108: 1710-1716. PMID: 31400321, DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2019.06.048.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStage I non-small cell lung carcinomaNon-small cell lung carcinomaCell lung carcinomaHospital volumeLung carcinomaComplication rateMedicare beneficiariesExcess costsEnd Results-MedicareIndex hospital costsLung cancer careMean excess costLung cancer resectionHospital-level variationNumber of complicationsLung cancer treatmentEpisode of careCost of careLowest cost quintileIndex hospitalizationCancer resectionHospital factorsPerioperative careHospital variationSurgical hospitalizationPersistent Use of Extended Fractionation Palliative Radiotherapy for Medicare Beneficiaries With Metastatic Breast Cancer, 2011 to 2014
Yu JB, Pollack CE, Herrin J, Zhu W, Soulos PR, Xu X, Gross CP. Persistent Use of Extended Fractionation Palliative Radiotherapy for Medicare Beneficiaries With Metastatic Breast Cancer, 2011 to 2014. American Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2019, 42: 493-499. PMID: 31033511, PMCID: PMC6538429, DOI: 10.1097/coc.0000000000000548.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPalliative radiotherapyBone metastasesMedicare beneficiariesBreast cancerAssociation of clinicalProportion of patientsChoice of treatmentHospital-based practiceService Medicare beneficiariesSingle-fraction treatmentProvider financial incentivesLogistic regression modelsDifferent fractionation schemesProlonged courseRadiation courseRadiotherapy usePayer perspectiveProvider characteristicsMean costMultiple guidelinesPatientsRadiotherapyMetastasisCancerNumber of daysDifferential Safety Between Top-Ranked Cancer Hospitals and Their Affiliates for Complex Cancer Surgery
Hoag JR, Resio BJ, Monsalve AF, Chiu AS, Brown LB, Herrin J, Blasberg JD, Kim AW, Boffa DJ. Differential Safety Between Top-Ranked Cancer Hospitals and Their Affiliates for Complex Cancer Surgery. JAMA Network Open 2019, 2: e191912. PMID: 30977848, PMCID: PMC6481444, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.1912.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsComplex cancer surgeryCancer surgeryCancer HospitalMedicare beneficiariesCancer NetworkRelative safetyStandardized mortality ratioComplex cancer careCross-sectional studyTop-ranked hospitalsMedicaid Services 100Hierarchical logistic regressionPerioperative mortalityAffiliated HospitalCancer careMortality ratioOdds ratioMAIN OUTCOMESurgeryHospitalReview filesDifferential safetyLogistic regressionMortalityMedicare providers
2018
Persistent Use of Extended Fractionation Palliative Radiation Therapy for Medicare Beneficiaries with Metastatic Breast Cancer: 2011-2014
Yu J, Pollack C, Herrin J, Zhu W, Soulos P, Xu X, Gross C. Persistent Use of Extended Fractionation Palliative Radiation Therapy for Medicare Beneficiaries with Metastatic Breast Cancer: 2011-2014. International Journal Of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics 2018, 102: e425. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.07.1241.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAssociation of the Overall Well-being of a Population With Health Care Spending for People 65 Years of Age or Older
Riley C, Roy B, Herrin J, Spatz ES, Arora A, Kell KP, Rula EY, Krumholz HM. Association of the Overall Well-being of a Population With Health Care Spending for People 65 Years of Age or Older. JAMA Network Open 2018, 1: e182136. PMID: 30646154, PMCID: PMC6324481, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.2136.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMedicare FFS beneficiariesPeople 65 yearsHealth care spendingFFS beneficiariesCare spendingPopulation-based cross-sectional studyLower health care spendingHealth care system capacityCross-sectional studyHealth care systemPopulation levelPayment modelsCare payment modelsHighest quintileInverse associationStudy interventionMAIN OUTCOMEMedicare feeMedicare beneficiariesUS national studyOverall healthMedian household incomeBeing IndexCare systemDemographic characteristics
2017
Regional Medicare Expenditures and Survival Among Older Women With Localized Breast Cancer
Tannenbaum S, Soulos PR, Herrin J, Mougalian S, Long JB, Wang R, Ma X, Gross CP, Xu X. Regional Medicare Expenditures and Survival Among Older Women With Localized Breast Cancer. Medical Care 2017, 55: 1030-1038. PMID: 29068906, PMCID: PMC5863278, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000822.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBreast cancer careHospital referral regionsNonmetastatic breast cancerBreast cancerCancer careMedicare beneficiariesMedicare expendituresCancer expendituresBetter survivalEnd Results-MedicareRetrospective cohort studyPatients 3 yearsClinical characteristicsCohort studyOverall survivalCancer stagePatient outcomesOutcome measuresReferral regionsOlder womenSignificant associationStage IIBivariate analysisCancerQuintile
2016
Association Between Hospital Penalty Status Under the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program and Readmission Rates for Target and Nontarget Conditions
Desai NR, Ross JS, Kwon JY, Herrin J, Dharmarajan K, Bernheim SM, Krumholz HM, Horwitz LI. Association Between Hospital Penalty Status Under the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program and Readmission Rates for Target and Nontarget Conditions. JAMA 2016, 316: 2647-2656. PMID: 28027367, PMCID: PMC5599851, DOI: 10.1001/jama.2016.18533.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHospital Readmissions Reduction ProgramAcute myocardial infarctionReadmission ratesReadmissions Reduction ProgramHeart failurePenalty statusNontarget conditionsMedicare feeMean readmission rateThirty-day riskRetrospective cohort studyUnplanned readmission rateReduction programsHRRP announcementHRRP implementationPenalized hospitalsCohort studyService patientsMyocardial infarctionMAIN OUTCOMEExcess readmissionsMedicare beneficiariesService beneficiariesHospitalPatients
2015
The Role of Patient Factors, Cancer Characteristics, and Treatment Patterns in the Cost of Care for Medicare Beneficiaries with Breast Cancer
Xu X, Herrin J, Soulos PR, Saraf A, Roberts KB, Killelea BK, Wang SY, Long JB, Wang R, Ma X, Gross CP. The Role of Patient Factors, Cancer Characteristics, and Treatment Patterns in the Cost of Care for Medicare Beneficiaries with Breast Cancer. Health Services Research 2015, 51: 167-186. PMID: 26119176, PMCID: PMC4722219, DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.12328.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBreast cancer careHospital referral regionsCancer careMedicare expendituresBreast cancerRadiation therapyTreatment factorsMean Medicare expendituresEnd Results-MedicareSpecific treatment modalitiesContribution of patientCost of careHighest spending quintilePatient factorsTreatment patternsTumor characteristicsCancer characteristicsTreatment modalitiesReferral regionsMedicare beneficiariesQuintilePatientsCancerCareTherapy
2014
Stereotactic body radiosurgery versus intensity modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer: Comparison of toxicity.
Yu J, Cramer L, Herrin J, Soulos P, Potosky A, Gross C. Stereotactic body radiosurgery versus intensity modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer: Comparison of toxicity. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2014, 32: 89-89. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2014.32.4_suppl.89.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchStereotactic body radiosurgeryGU complicationsProstate cancerSBRT patientsIMRT patientsGU toxicityRate of complicationsRetrospective observational studyBladder outlet obstructionHigh cure ratesRandom-effects modelCost of treatmentOutlet obstructionUrinary incontinenceTreatment initiationRetrospective studyCure rateUrethral strictureDiagnosis codesPrimary treatmentObservational studyRadiation therapyMean costMedicare beneficiariesPatients
2013
For-profit hospital ownership status and use of brachytherapy after breast-conserving surgery
Sen S, Soulos PR, Herrin J, Roberts KB, Yu JB, Lesnikoski BA, Ross JS, Krumholz HM, Gross CP. For-profit hospital ownership status and use of brachytherapy after breast-conserving surgery. Surgery 2013, 155: 776-788. PMID: 24787104, PMCID: PMC4008843, DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2013.12.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHospital ownership statusBreast-conserving operationsBreast-conserving surgeryUse of brachytherapyRadiation therapyOperative careBreast cancerMedicare beneficiariesOverall useReceipt of brachytherapyAdjuvant radiation therapyInvasive breast cancerFemale Medicare beneficiariesGreater overall useYears of ageShort life expectancyRetrospective studyRT modalityProfit hospitalsExpensive modalityOlder womenBrachytherapy useBreast brachytherapyHospitalBrachytherapy
2012
Proton Versus Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: Patterns of Care and Early Toxicity
Yu JB, Soulos PR, Herrin J, Cramer LD, Potosky AL, Roberts KB, Gross CP. Proton Versus Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: Patterns of Care and Early Toxicity. Journal Of The National Cancer Institute 2012, 105: 25-32. PMID: 23243199, PMCID: PMC3536640, DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djs463.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIntensity-modulated radiotherapyProstate cancerMedicare beneficiariesGenitourinary toxicityEarly toxicityProton radiotherapyMultivariable logistic regressionPatterns of careMain outcome measuresType of radiotherapyMedicare reimbursementClinical benefitRetrospective studyPRT patientsOutcome measuresComprehensive cohortPRT useIMRT patientsPatientsSociodemographic characteristicsRadiotherapyCancerLogistic regressionMonthsSignificant differencesPatterns of Use and Short-Term Complications of Breast Brachytherapy in the National Medicare Population From 2008–2009
Presley CJ, Soulos PR, Herrin J, Roberts KB, Yu JB, Killelea B, Lesnikoski BA, Long JB, Gross CP. Patterns of Use and Short-Term Complications of Breast Brachytherapy in the National Medicare Population From 2008–2009. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2012, 30: 4302-4307. PMID: 23091103, PMCID: PMC3675700, DOI: 10.1200/jco.2012.43.5297.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWhole breast irradiationHospital referral regionsBone complicationsClinical characteristicsSkin complicationsEarly-stage breast cancerNational treatment patternsPercent of patientsShort-term complicationsBreast-conserving surgeryNational Medicare populationComplication rateTreatment patternsAge 66Breast cancerReferral regionsMedicare populationPatterns of useComplicationsMedicare beneficiariesTreatment groupsClinical practiceBreast brachytherapyBrachytherapyInstrumental variable analysisShort-term complications and use of breast brachytherapy in the national Medicare population in 2008-2009.
Presley C, Soulos P, Herrin J, Roberts K, Yu J, Killelea B, Lesnikoski B, Long J, Gross C. Short-term complications and use of breast brachytherapy in the national Medicare population in 2008-2009. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2012, 30: 1030-1030. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2012.30.15_suppl.1030.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWhole breast irradiationHospital referral regionsBone complicationsClinical characteristicsSkin complicationsReferral regionsEarly-stage breast cancerNational treatment patternsOne-year overallReceipt of chemotherapyNumber of comorbiditiesShort-term complicationsDeep tissuesNational Medicare populationAdjuvant radiationComplication rateTreatment patternsDiagnosis codesBreast cancerMedicare claimsMedicare populationComplicationsMedicare beneficiariesTreatment groupsClinical practiceAssessing the Impact of a Cooperative Group Trial on Breast Cancer Care in the Medicare Population
Soulos PR, Yu JB, Roberts KB, Raldow AC, Herrin J, Long JB, Gross CP. Assessing the Impact of a Cooperative Group Trial on Breast Cancer Care in the Medicare Population. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2012, 30: 1601-1607. PMID: 22393088, PMCID: PMC3383112, DOI: 10.1200/jco.2011.39.4890.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAge FactorsAgedAged, 80 and overBreast NeoplasmsCombined Modality TherapyDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleHumansLife ExpectancyMastectomy, SegmentalMedicareNeoplasm InvasivenessNeoplasm StagingPrognosisRadiotherapy, AdjuvantRisk AssessmentSEER ProgramSurvival AnalysisTreatment OutcomeUnited StatesConceptsUse of RTAdjuvant radiation therapyRadiation therapyOlder womenRT useLife expectancyBreast cancerMedicare populationEnd Results-Medicare dataStage I breast cancerStrata of ageCooperative group trialsI breast cancerBreast cancer careStrata of patientsHealth system characteristicsLog-binomial regressionShort life expectancySample of womenTreatment guidelinesCancer careInclusion criteriaGroup trialsMedicare beneficiariesClinical practice
2010
Variation in Hospital Mortality Rates for Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction
Bradley EH, Herrin J, Curry L, Cherlin EJ, Wang Y, Webster TR, Drye EE, Normand SL, Krumholz HM. Variation in Hospital Mortality Rates for Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction. The American Journal Of Cardiology 2010, 106: 1108-1112. PMID: 20920648, DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2010.06.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute myocardial infarctionHospital characteristicsMyocardial infarctionMortality rateCross-sectional national studyHospital mortality rateHospital patient populationAmerican Hospital Association surveyAMI dischargeMean hospitalHospital outcomesCardiac facilitiesPatient populationAMI volumeMultivariable modelPatient profilesMedicare beneficiariesHospitalHospital bedsPatientsTeaching statusUnited States Census dataStates Census dataInfarctionStatus profile
2007
Cost and Effects of Performance Feedback and Nurse Case Management for Medicare Beneficiaries with Diabetes A Randomized Controlled Trial
Herrin J, Cangialose CB, Nicewander D, Ballard DJ. Cost and Effects of Performance Feedback and Nurse Case Management for Medicare Beneficiaries with Diabetes A Randomized Controlled Trial. Population Health Management 2007, 10: 328-336. PMID: 18163861, DOI: 10.1089/dis.2007.106719.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNurse case managementDiabetes careCase management modelCase managementModel health maintenance organizationMedicare perspectiveNurse case management modelProcess of carePrimary care networkHealth maintenance organizationHealthTexas Provider NetworkClinical outcomesIntervention armResource nursesBaseline differencesMedicare beneficiariesMedical clinicsMaintenance organizationCare networkSimilar interventionsClinical qualityCareSignificant differencesDiabetesTrials
2005
Physician specialty and mortality among elderly patients hospitalized with heart failure
Foody JM, Rathore SS, Wang Y, Herrin J, Masoudi FA, Havranek EP, Krumholz HM. Physician specialty and mortality among elderly patients hospitalized with heart failure. The American Journal Of Medicine 2005, 118: 1120-1125. PMID: 16194643, DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.01.075.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHeart failureFamily physiciansGeneral physiciansSpecialty careDay of admissionCause mortalityCardiology consultationElderly patientsPrimary outcomePhysician specialtyMedicare beneficiariesMortality ratePatientsCardiologistsPhysiciansMortalityInternistsCareOutcomesConsultationFailureDaysSpecialtiesAdmission