Project Summary:
Low-value care (LVC) is defined as patient care that offers no net benefit in specific clinical scenarios, which can lead to patient harm and unnecessary spending. There is strong evidence that LVC is common in Wisconsin and that preoperative testing is one of the most common LVC services, based on a study of 48 measures.
The key intervention of this project is an LVC preoperative testing reduction initiative that will be conducted by the Surgical Collaborative of Wisconsin (SCW), a statewide, membership surgical improvement organization. This work will be informed and monitored by an inaugural set of performance measures created by the Wisconsin Health Information Organization, specific to the interventions employed by the SCW.
In addition, the Medical College of Wisconsin will deploy a multi-dimensional study approach to define the interaction between LVC services and health inequities, and the impact of LVC services on disadvantaged populations using preoperative testing as a model. The project will disseminate its findings to key Wisconsin stakeholders through the LVC Committee, which includes insurers, employers, provider organizations, state agencies, researchers, and other representatives.
Finally, the value of this project will extend beyond the preoperative testing project and this study by defining and beginning to build the infrastructure needed in Wisconsin to reduce other LVC services, an infrastructure that does not currently exist.
Community Partner: Surgical Collaborative of Wisconsin