Studies from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Add New Findings in the Area of Ambulatory Surgery (Geographic Differences in Patient Demographics and Performance of Gender-Affirming Surgery from 2016 to 2019): Ambulatory Surgery

2023 DEC 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- New study results on ambulatory surgery have been published. According to news reporting out of Nashville, Tennessee, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “Although legislation prohibiting gender identity discrimination in health insurance has shown some improvement in insurance coverage for GAS, recent bills criminalizing GAS providers in the South and Midwest regions pose threats to patient care. To investigate the influence of US census region on patient demographics and GAS rates in the ambulatory surgery setting.”

The news editors obtained a quote from the research from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine: “Individuals with gender dysphoria who underwent GAS in the ambulatory setting from 2016 to 2019 were identified in the Nationwide Ambulatory Surgery Sample (NASS) using billing codes. Demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed and stratified by US census region. The data set included a weighted estimate of 33,174 encounters with 72.8% (95% CI, 69.1%-76.2%) for chest reconstruction, 24.1% (95% CI, 20.9%-27.5%) for surgery on the genitals and reproductive organs, and 6.0% (95% CI, 4.6%-7.8%) for facial surgery. Overall, the rates of GAS increased by 187% from 4,320 encounters in 2016 to 12,396 encounters in 2019. In the Midwest, GAS increased by 257% compared to 203% in the Northeast, 218% in the South, and 154% in the West. Compared to patients in the West, those in other regions had higher odds of anxiety and depression (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.09-2.26; P < .05) and were more likely to have lower incomes than other ambulatory surgery patients in the region (P < .001).”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Between 2016 and 2019, there was substantial growth of GAS in the Midwest, South, and Northeast. Regional differences in insurance coverage, socioeconomic status, availability of facial surgery, and comorbidities were observed.”

For more information on this research see: Geographic Differences in Patient Demographics and Performance of Gender-Affirming Surgery from 2016 to 2019. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2023. The publisher for Aesthetic Surgery Journal is Oxford University Press (OUP).

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjad353.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Rishub K Das, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States. Additional authors for this research include Izabela Galdyn, Rachel L McCaffrey, Brian C Drolet, Salam Al Kassis.

ORCID is an identifier for authors and includes bibliographic information. The following is ORCID information for the author of this research: Rishub K Das (http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7368-7769).

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