Research Results from University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Update Understanding of Managed Care (Facility-Level Variation Underlying Low Inferior Vena Cava Filter Retrieval in the United States): Managed Care

2025 SEP 15 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Data detailed on Managed Care have been presented. According to news reporting originating from Aurora, Colorado, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Timely retrieval of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters is recommended to reduce complications and optimize outcomes. This study aims to quantify facility-level variation in risk-adjusted IVC filter retrieval across US hospitals and to identify patient- and hospital-level factors associated with nonretrieval.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, “Medicare beneficiaries undergoing IVC filter implantation were identified in the 100% claims files for years 2016 to 2020. Facility-level variation in device retrieval was quantified using Bayesian hospital profiling. and hospital-level factors associated with nonretrieval were assessed using logistic regression, adjusting for diagnostic indication, comorbidities, and implantation year. IVC filters were implanted in 119,613 Medicare beneficiaries across 2,485 facilities. Retrieval rates were low: median 6.2% within 3 months and 14.8% within 1 year. Excluding deaths within 3 months (30.2%), retrieval ranged from 0% to 100% across facilities. Among high-volume hospitals (top 25th percentile, implanting 13 filters per year), 1-year risk-adjusted retrieval ranged from 0% to 74.5%, mean 20% ± 14.2% (positive skew 0.95). Patient factors associated with IVC filter nonretrieval included age > 80 years (odds ratio 2.98, 95% confidence interval [2.73-3.24]), Black race (1.62, [1.51-1.72]), and Hispanic ethnicity (1.45, [1.16-1.80]). Among hospital factors, nonteaching (1.45 [1.37-1.53]), small bed size (1.37 [1.24-1.50]), and safety-net (1.42 [1.34-1.50]) facilities were strongly associated with IVC filter nonretrieval. High mortality within 3 months of IVC filter implantation suggests opportunity to improve patient selection and, potentially, device type choice.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “There is large facility-level variance underlying low aggregate IVC filter retrieval nationally; a focus on standardizing device surveillance and identifying best practices from high-performing facilities is warranted.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Facility-Level Variation Underlying Low Inferior Vena Cava Filter Retrieval in the United States. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 2025. Journal of the American College of Radiology can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Inc, Ste 800, 230 Park Ave, New York, NY 10169, USA. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Journal of the American College of Radiology - http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-the-american-college-of-radiology/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Premal Trivedi, Division Chief of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Dept. of Radiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado. Additional authors for this research include Lei Wang, Evan Carey, Richard Lindrooth, Maria Puello Baron, Jonathan Lindquist and P. Michael Ho.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of the American College of Radiology is: Elsevier Science Inc, Ste 800, 230 Park Ave, New York, NY 10169, USA.

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