Developing a Fracture Risk Clinical Assessment Protocol for Long-Term Care: A Modified Delphi Consensus Process

ObjectivesTo develop a fracture risk Clinical Assessment Protocol (CAP) based on long-term care (LTC) fracture prevention recommendations and an embedded fracture risk assessment tool.DesignA modified Delphi consensus approach including 2 survey rounds and a face-to-face meeting was implemented to reach consensus on matching of LTC fracture prevention guideline statements to Fracture Risk Scale (FRS) risk levels.Setting and ParticipantsA national panel of recognized experts in osteoporosis, fractures, and long-term care, including an LTC resident and family members.MethodsRound 1 survey respondents (n = 24) were provided the LTC fracture prevention guidelines matched to FRS risk levels and were asked whether they agreed the guideline was appropriate for the risk level (yes, no, I don't know, I agree with some but not all of it) and to provide comments. In round 2, guideline statements that did not achieve consensus (≥80% agreement) were revised consistent with comments provided in round 1 and respondents were asked again if they agreed with the guideline statement. Statements that did not achieve consensus were to be discussed and resolved in an in-person meeting (n = 17).ResultsIn round 1 (75% response rate), consensus was achieved in 7/14 guideline statements. In round 2 (56% response rate), 5 statements were revised based on round 1 feedback and for 2 statements additional information was provided. Consensus was achieved in all but one statement related to the inappropriateness of pharmacologic therapy for residents with life expectancy less than 1 year. Following facilitated meeting discussions, consensus was obtained to revise the guideline statement to reflect that life expectancy was but one of several criteria that should be used to inform medication decisions.Conclusions and ImplicationsAn evidence-based fracture risk CAP was developed that will be embedded in international routine clinical assessment tools to guide fracture prevention in LTC.     

Exploratory Factor Analysis of a Patient-Centered Cancer Care Measure to Support Improved Assessment of Patients’ Experiences

ObjectiveTo increase the understanding of patient-centered care (PCC) and address the need for cross-cutting quality cancer care measures that are relevant to both patients and providers.MethodsAn exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on a short version of the Patients and the Cancer Care Experience Survey, a patient-reported measure of perceived importance of social, emotional, physical, and informational aspects of care, administered to adult patients (n = 104) at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. Relationships between PCC dimensions and patient characteristics were also assessed. Principal axis factoring was applied and bivariate analyses were performed using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.ResultsMost of our sample was over 60 years old (63.4%), female (57.4%), and white (74.2%), with either breast (41.2%) or prostate cancer (27.5%). A 5-factor model was identified: (1) quality of life (α = .91), (2) provider social support (α = .83), (3) psychosocial needs (α = .91), (4) nonprovider social support (α = .79), and (5) health information and decision-making support (α = .88). No statistically significant associations were found between these factors and patients’ characteristics.ConclusionsA preliminary factor structure for a cancer PCC measure was identified. Our findings reinforce the interrelated nature of PCC dimensions. The lessons learned from this study may be used to develop a single PCC measure that identifies patient priorities across the cancer care continuum. Data collected from such a measure can be used to support patient engagement in treatment planning and decision-making.     

Continuity of primary care and prenatal care adequacy among women with disabilities in Ontario: A population-based cohort study

BackgroundWomen with disabilities experience elevated risks for pregnancy complications and report barriers accessing prenatal care. Emerging evidence highlights the significant role primary care providers play in promoting preventive services like prenatal care.ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between continuity of primary care (COC) and prenatal care adequacy among women with disabilities.MethodsWe conducted a population-based study using health administrative data in Ontario, Canada. The study population included 15- to 49-year-old women with physical (n = 106,555), sensory (n = 32,194), intellectual/developmental (n = 1515), and multiple (n = 6543) disabilities who had a singleton livebirth or stillbirth in 2003–2017 and ≥ 3 primary care visits < 2 years before conception. COC was measured using the Usual Provider of Care Index. Nominal logistic regression was used to compute adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for prenatal care adequacy, measured using the Revised-Graduated Prenatal Care Utilization Index, for women with low versus moderate/high COC, controlling for other social and medical characteristics.ResultsWomen with disabilities with low COC, versus those with moderate/high COC, had increased odds of no (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.29–1.56), inadequate (aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.16–1.23), and intensive prenatal care (aOR 1.22, 95% CI 1.19–1.25) versus adequate. In additional analyses, women with low COC and no/inadequate prenatal care were the most socially disadvantaged among the cohort, and those with low COC and intensive prenatal care had the greatest medical need.ConclusionImproving primary care access for women with disabilities, particularly those experiencing social disadvantage, could lead to better prenatal care access.     

Dietary and Physical Activity Changes and Adherence to WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations following a Remotely Delivered Weight Loss Intervention for Female Breast Cancer Survivors: The Living Well after Breast Cancer Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundDiet, exercise, and weight management are key in improving outcomes for breast cancer survivors, with international recommendations for cancer survivors relating to these behaviors. However, few behavioral interventions have reported outcomes aligned specifically with these recommendations.ObjectiveTo evaluate a remotely delivered weight loss intervention vs usual care for female breast cancer survivors, on changes in multiple diet and physical activity behaviors.DesignA randomized controlled trial with assessments at study baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18 months (ie, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and non-contact follow-up).Participants/settingParticipants were recruited between October 2012 and December 2014 through hospitals in Brisbane, Australia, and the state-based cancer registry. Eligible participants (women aged 18 to 75 years with body mass index 25 to 45 kg/m² who were diagnosed with stage I through III breast cancer during previous 2 years) were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 79) or usual care (n = 80).InterventionParticipants randomized to the intervention group received 22 counseling telephone calls targeting diet and physical activity aimed at achieving 5% to 10% weight loss, and optional text messages, over 12 months. Usual care participants received their standard medical care and brief feedback following each assessment, which was similar to that provided to intervention participants with the exception that usual care participants’ results were not compared with national and study recommendations.Main outcome measuresDietary intake (24-hour recalls), physical activity (hip-worn GT3X+ accelerometer [Actigraph]), sitting time (thigh-worn activPAL3 [PAL Technologies Limited), and adherence to World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) recommendations for cancer survivors (0 to 7 score) were measured at each assessment, with data collected between November 2012 and October 2016.Statistical analyses performedIntervention effects were assessed by linear mixed models, accounting for repeated measures and baseline values. Significance was set at P < 0.05.ResultsAt baseline, participants were aged 55 ± 9 years, with a body mass index of 31.4 ± 5.0 kg/m², 10.7 ± 5.0 months postdiagnosis, and primarily non-minority. At baseline, only 8% (n = 12) of participants met ≥5 out of seven WCRF/AICR recommendations (WCRF/AICR adherence score = 3.8 ± 1.0). At 12 months, significant intervention effects were observed in walking/running (+21 minutes/week; 95% CI 4 to 38) and WCRF/AICR adherence scores (+0.3 points; 95% CI 0.0 to 0.6) only. At 18 months, significant intervention effects were observed for energy intake (–229 kcal/day energy; 95% CI –373 to –84), total fat (–10 g/day; 95% CI –18 to –2), and saturated fat (–5 g/day; 95% CI –9 to –1), and were sustained for WCRF/AICR adherence scores (+0.5 points; 95% CI 0.2 to 0.8).ConclusionsThis remotely delivered weight loss intervention led to sustained improvements in WCRF/AICR adherence scores, and some improvements in diet and physical activity. These findings provide support for the health benefit of programs targeting lifestyle behaviors in line with cancer survivor recommendations, and the potential for dissemination of such programs for women following treatment for early-stage breast cancer.     

Reliability and Concurrent Validity of the SARC-F and Its Modified Versions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ObjectivesSarcopenia, being prevalent in up to 40% of older adults, is associated with adverse health outcomes. The international sarcopenia guidelines recommend screening for sarcopenia using the SARC-F. A previous meta-analysis (2017) reported poor validity of the SARC-F among community-dwelling older adults. Since then, modified SARC-F versions were developed and new sarcopenia definitions were published, including the SARC-F for case-finding. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the reliability of the SARC-F and its concurrent validity to identify sarcopenia.DesignSystematic review and meta-analyses.Setting and ParticipantsAdults (all ages) from any study population.MethodsA systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL (January 1, 2013, to April 6, 2020). Articles were included if they reported on the reliability and/or concurrent validity of the (modified) SARC-F. No restrictions were applied for sex, age, study population, or sarcopenia definition. Reliability measures included inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency. Meta-analyses were performed for concurrent validity.ResultsThe 29 included articles included 21,855 individuals (mean age of 63.3±14.6 years, 61.3% females) among community-dwelling (n = 16), geriatric inpatient (n = 5), geriatric outpatient (n = 2), nursing home (n = 2), and long-term care (n = 1) populations. The SARC-F had good (2/4 articles) to excellent (2/4 articles) inter-rater reliability, moderate (1/6 articles) to good (5/6 articles) test-retest reliability, and low (4/8 articles) to high (4/8 articles) internal consistency. The SARC-F had low to moderate sensitivity (28.9%-55.3%) and moderate to high specificity (68.9%-88.9%) according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP; n = 13), revised EWGSOP definition (EWGSOP2; n = 6), Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS; n = 13), Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH; n = 8), International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWGS; n = 9), and Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders (n = 2). The SARC-CalF had low to moderate sensitivity (45.9%-57.2%) and high specificity (87.7%-91.3%) according to the EWGSOP (n = 5), AWGS (n = 4), FNIH (n = 3), and IWGS (n = 3).Conclusions and ImplicationsDespite the good reliability of the SARC-F, its low to moderate sensitivity and moderate to high specificity make it nonoptimal to use for sarcopenia screening. It is recommended to apply the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia without screening.     

Safety of MenACWY-CRM vaccine exposure during pregnancy

BackgroundAlthough the meningococcal conjugate MenACWY-CRM vaccine is not approved for use in pregnant women, unintentional exposure during pregnancy can occur, especially during early pregnancy among women of child-bearing age. This study provides safety information about inadvertent MenACWY-CRM vaccination during pregnancy.MethodsThe evaluated population consisted of pregnant female members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California who inadvertently received MenACWY-CRM at 11–21 years of age during 09/30/2011-06/30/2013 within 28 days prior to conception or during pregnancy. Chart abstraction was conducted to identify pregnancy and birth outcomes, including spontaneous and induced abortions, preterm births, low weight births, and major congenital malformations (MCMs).ResultsThere were 92 women who received MenACWY-CRM during the pregnancy exposure period, mainly during the first trimester (76.1%). Hispanics represented the largest race/ethnicity category (68.5%). Among the known pregnancy outcomes (n = 66; excluding induced abortions and unknown pregnancy outcomes), the prevalence of spontaneous abortions was 18.2% (n = 12). Among live born infants (n = 55; from 54 pregnancies), 14.5% (n = 8) were born preterm (<37 weeks gestation) and 9.1% (n = 5) had a low birthweight (<2500 g). The prevalence rate of MCMs among live born infants (n = 55) was 1.8% (n = 1).ConclusionsThis study provides baseline prevalence estimates of spontaneous abortions, preterm births, low weight births, and MCMs among women inadvertently exposed to MenACWY-CRM during the pregnancy period. These estimates appear to be comparable with U.S. background prevalence estimates.     

Systematic Review of Psychotropic Adverse Drug Event Monitoring Tools for Use in Long-Term Care Facilities

ObjectivesTo evaluate properties of psychotropic adverse drug event (ADE) monitoring tools intended for use in long-term care facilities.DesignSystematic review.Setting and ParticipantsAdults aged 18 years and older in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.MethodsMedline, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycInfo were searched from inception to August 2022 for studies reporting the development, validation, or application of tools to monitor psychotropic ADEs. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed independently by 2 authors. Each tool was assessed under the domains of test-retest reliability, interrater reliability, content validity, and construct validity.ResultsEight studies that described 6 tools were included. Tools were developed in Wales (n = 2), United States (n = 1), Ireland (n = 1), Canada (n = 1), and Singapore (n = 1). Tools monitored 4 to 95 items related to antipsychotics (n = 6 tools), antidepressants (n = 4), benzodiazepines or hypnotics (n = 4), antiepileptics (n = 4), and dementia medications (n = 1). Tools commonly monitored sedation, tiredness, or sleepiness (n = 6), falls (n = 4), and tremor or extrapyramidal symptoms (n = 4). Tools were designed for application by nurses (n = 4), during family conferences (n = 1), and by general medical practitioners before repeat prescribing (n = 1). Two tools were reported to require 10 to 60 minutes to administer. Four tools were determined to have adequate content validity and 2 tools adequate interrater reliability. No tools reported test-retest reliability or construct validity.Conclusions and ImplicationsSix published psychotropic ADE monitoring tools are heterogeneous in design and intended application. Existing tools are predominately designed for application by nurses with or without direct involvement of the wider multidisciplinary team. Further research is needed into models of care that facilitate psychotropic ADE monitoring in the long-term care facility setting, and the extent to which application of specific tools is associated with reduced medication-related harm.     

Content of Health Economics Analysis Plans (HEAPs) for Trial-Based Economic Evaluations: Expert Delphi Consensus Survey

ObjectivesHealth economics analysis plans (HEAPs) currently lack consistency, with uncertainty surrounding appropriate content. We aimed to develop a list of essential items that should be included in HEAPs for economic evaluations conducted alongside randomized trials.MethodsA list of potential items for inclusion was developed by examining existing HEAPs. An electronic Delphi survey was conducted among professional health economists. Respondents were asked to rate potential items from 1 (least important) to 9 (most important), suggest additional items, and comment on proposed items (round 1). A second survey (round 2) was emailed to participants, including the participant’s own scores from round 1 along with summary results from the whole panel; participants were asked to rerate each item. Consensus criteria for inclusion in the final list were predefined as >70% of participants rating an item 7-9 and <15% rating it 1-3 after round 2. A final item selection meeting was held to scrutinize the results and adjudicate on items lacking consensus.Results62 participants completed round 1 of the survey. The initial list included 72 potential items; all 72 were carried forward to round 2, and no new items were added. 48 round 1 respondents (77.4%) completed round 2 and reached consensus on 53 items. At the final meeting, the expert panel (n = 9) agreed that 58 items should be included in the essential list, moved 9 items to an optional list, and dropped 5 items.ConclusionsVia expert consensus opinion, this study identified 58 items that are considered essential in a HEAP.     

Impact of social-, health-, and disability-related factors on pregnancy outcomes in women with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A population-based latent class analysis

BackgroundStudies have shown women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have elevated risks of perinatal complications, but few studies have examined how social, health, and disability-related factors affect these risks.ObjectivesTo identify and describe subgroups of pregnant women with IDD according to social, health, and disability-related factors and examine the risks of perinatal complications in these subgroups compared to women without IDD.MethodsWe performed a population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada, of women with (n = 1922) and without (n = 1,126,854) IDD, with a singleton birth in 2003–2018. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify subgroups of women according to social (e.g., age), health (e.g., chronic medical conditions), and disability-related (e.g., IDD type) characteristics. Modified Poisson regression was then used to compare the risks of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, cesarean delivery, and preterm birth across identified subgroups to women without IDD.ResultsThe LCA identified 4 classes of women with IDD: (1) young women who were mostly healthy and had little primary care before pregnancy (n = 253); (2) older women who were mostly healthy (n = 795); (3) young to mid-aged women who had significant comorbidities (n = 181); and (4) young women, many of whom were autistic, who had some medical comorbidities and significant psychiatric comorbidities (n = 693). Class 3 consistently had the greatest risks of perinatal complications, across all IDD groups, compared to women without IDD.ConclusionsThese findings underscore the importance of multidisciplinary care approaches tailored to the needs of at-risk women with IDD, in the preconception and perinatal periods.     

Comparative effectiveness of two outreach strategies for cervical cancer screening

ObjectiveTest-specific reminder letters can improve cancer screening adherence. Little is known about the effectiveness of a reminder system that targets the whole person by including multiple screening recommendations per letter.MethodsWe compared the effectiveness of a Pap-specific reminder letter sent 27 months after a woman's last Pap, to a reminder letter that included up to seven preventive service recommendations sent before a woman's birthday (“birthday letter”) on Pap smear adherence from a natural experiment occurring in routine clinical care. Participants included 82,016 women from Washington State who received 72,615 Pap-specific letters between 2003 and 2007 and 100,218 birthday letters between 2009 and 2012. We defined adherence as having a Pap test within a six month window around the Pap test due date. Using logistic regression, we calculated adjusted odds ratios (OR) for adherence with 95% confidence intervals (CI) following the birthday letter with 1–2 recommendations, 3–5 recommendations, and 6–7 recommendations compared to the Pap-specific letter. All analyses were stratified by whether a woman was up-to-date or overdue for screening at the time she received a letter.ResultsAdjusted ORs showed reduced adherence following the birthday letter compared with the Pap-specific letter for up-to-date women whether the letter had 1–2 recommendations (OR = 0.37, 95%CI = 0.36–0.39), 3–5 recommendations (OR = 0.44, 95%CI = 0.42–0.45), or 6–7 recommendations (OR = 0.36, 95%CI = 0.32–0.40). We noted no difference in Pap-test adherence between letter types for overdue women.ConclusionsIn conclusion, for women regularly adherent to screening, an annual birthday letter containing reminders for multiple preventive services was less effective at promoting cervical cancer screening compared with a Pap-specific letter.     

Adherence to Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations on Low-Value Injury Care: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study

ObjectivesLow-value clinical practices have been identified as one of the most important areas of excess healthcare spending. Nevertheless, there is a knowledge gap on the scale of this problem in injury care. We aimed to identify clinical practice guideline (CPG) recommendations pertaining to low-value injury care, estimate how frequently they are used in practice, and evaluate interhospital variations in their use.MethodsWe identified low-value clinical practices from internationally recognized CPGs. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from a Canadian trauma system (2014-2019) to calculate frequencies and assess interhospital variations.ResultsWe identified 29 low-value practices. Fourteen could be measured using trauma registry data. The 3 low-value clinical practices with the highest absolute and relative frequencies were computed tomography (CT) in adults with minor head injury (n = 5591, 24%), cervical spine CT (n = 2742, 31%), and whole-body CT in minor or single-system trauma (n = 530, 32%). We observed high interhospital variation for decompressive craniectomy in diffuse traumatic brain injury. Frequencies and interhospital variations were low for magnetic resonance imaging, intracranial pressure monitoring, inferior vena cava filter use, and surgical management of blunt abdominal injuries.ConclusionsWe observed evidence of poor adherence to CPG recommendations on low-value CT imaging and high practice variation for decompressive craniectomy. Results suggest that adherence to recommendations for the 10 other low-value practices is high. These data can be used to advance the research agenda on low-value injury care and inform the development of interventions targeting reductions in healthcare overuse in this population.     

Survey of influenza vaccine knowledge,attitudes, and beliefs among pregnant women in the 2016–17 season

ObjectivesInfluenza vaccination coverage among pregnant women in the United States is suboptimal. We surveyed women who were pregnant during the 2016–17 influenza season to assess knowledge and attitudes regarding influenza vaccination.MethodsWe identified and sampled pregnant women to include approximately equal numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated women from strata defined by vaccination status and trimester from four integrated health systems in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD). Potential participants were contacted via mail and telephone to complete a standardized survey. Characteristics and responses of women vaccinated and unvaccinated during pregnancy were compared.ResultsThe survey was completed by 510 (48%) of 1062 contacted women; 500 were included in the analysis. Vaccine receipt while pregnant was associated with primigravida status (p = 0.02), college degree (p = 0.01), employment in health care (p < 0.01), and history of routine annual influenza vaccination (p < 0.01). Among 330 vaccinated women, the primary reasons for vaccination included protection of self and baby from influenza (n = 233, 71%), and medical professional recommendation (n = 46, 14%). Multiple reasons were given for nonvaccination, but concern about ‘negative effects’ was cited most often (n = 44, 29%). Vaccinated women were significantly more likely to believe that influenza vaccines are safe and effective, and to recognize the potential for harm from influenza infection. Nearly all women reported receiving at least one influenza vaccination recommendation from a healthcare provider.ConclusionsVaccinated pregnant women were more likely to receive routine annual influenza vaccine compared to those not vaccinated. Recommendations by obstetric providers should be supplemented with efforts to encourage women of childbearing age to receive annual vaccination.     

O-serotype distribution of Escherichia coli bloodstream infection isolates in critically ill patients in The Netherlands

ObjectivesInvasive infections by extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains are increasing. We determined O-serogroups of E. coli isolates from ICU patients having bloodstream infections (BSI) and the potential coverage of a 10-valent O-polysaccharide conjugate vaccine currently in development for the prevention of invasive ExPEC disease.MethodsWe studied E. coli BSI among patients admitted to a tertiary ICU in the Netherlands between April 2011 and November 2016. O-serogroups were determined in vitro by agglutination and whole genome sequencing.ResultsAmong 714 ICU patients having BSI, 70 (10%) had an E. coli BSI. Among 68 (97%) isolates serogrouped, the most common serogroups were O25 (n = 11; 16%), O8 (n = 5; 7%), O2 (n = 4; 6%), O6 (n = 4; 6%), and O15 (n = 4; 6%). The theoretical coverage of a 10-valent ExPEC vaccine was 54% (n = 37).ConclusionsA multi-valent ExPEC O-polysaccharide conjugate vaccine in development could potentially aid in the prevention of E. coli BSI in Dutch ICU patients.     

Health Care and Personal Care Needs Among Residents in Nursing Homes,Group Homes,and Congregate Housing in Japan: Why Does Transition Occur,and Where Can the Frail Elderly Establish a Permanent Residence?

ObjectivesJapan has had high rates of transition to nursing homes from other long term care facilities. It has been hypothesized that care transitions occur because a resident's condition deteriorates. The aim of the present study was to compare the health care and personal care needs of residents in nursing homes, group homes, and congregate housing in Japan.DesignThe present study was conducted using a cross-sectional study design.Setting/SubjectsThe present study included 70,519 elderly individuals from 5 types of residential facilities: care medical facilities (heavy medical care; n = 17,358), geriatric intermediate care facilities (rehabilitation aimed toward a discharge to home; n = 26,136), special nursing homes (permanent residence; n = 20,564), group homes (group living, n = 1454), and fee-based homes for the elderly (congregate housing; n = 5007).MeasurementsThe managing director at each facility provided information on the residents' health care and personal care needs, including activities of daily living (ADLs), level of required care, level of cognitive impairment, current disease treatment, and medical procedures.ResultsA multinomial logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significantly lower rate of medical procedures among the residents in special nursing homes compared with those in care medical facilities, geriatric intermediate care facilities, group homes, and fee-based homes for the elderly. The residents of special nursing homes also indicated a significantly lower level of required care than those in care medical facilities.ConclusionThe results of our study suggest that care transitions occur because of unavailable permanent residence option for people who suffer with medical deterioration. The national government should modify residential facilities by reorganizing several types of residential facilities into nursing homes that provide a place of permanent residence.     

The Use of Decision Analytic Modeling in the Evaluation of Surgical Innovations: A Scoping Review

ObjectivesThe main objective of this review was to map how decision analytic models are used in surgical innovation (in which research phase, with what aim) and to understand how challenges related to the assessment of surgical interventions are incorporated.MethodsWe systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for studies published in 2018. We included original articles using a decision analytic model to compare surgical strategies. We included modeling studies of surgical innovations. General, innovation, and modeling characteristics were extracted, as were outcomes, recommendations, and handling of challenges related to the assessment of surgical interventions (learning curve, incremental innovation, dynamic pricing, quality variation, organizational impact).ResultsWe included 46 studies. The number of studies increased with each research phase, from 4% (n = 2) in the preclinical phase to 40% (n = 20) in phase 3 studies. Eighty-one studies were excluded because they investigated established surgical procedures, indicating that modeling is predominantly applied after the innovation process. Regardless of the research stage, the aim to determine cost-effectiveness was most frequently identified (n = 40, 87%), whereas exploratory aims (eg, exploring when a strategy becomes cost-effective) were less common (n = 9, 20%). Most challenges related to the assessment of surgical interventions were rarely incorporated in models (eg, learning curve [n = 1, 2%], organizational impact [n = 2, 4%], and incremental innovation [n = 1, 2%]), except for dynamic pricing (n = 10, 22%) and quality variation (n = 6, 13%).ConclusionsIn surgical innovation, modeling is predominantly used in later research stages to assess cost-effectiveness. The exploratory use of modeling seems still largely overlooked in surgery; therefore, the opportunity to inform research and development may not be optimally used.