Foot and Ankle Surgery in Australia: A Study of Medicare Data
Author Information
Author(s): Hylton B. Menz, Mark F. Gilheany, Karl B. Landorf
Primary Institution: La Trobe University
Hypothesis
What are the patterns and costs of foot and ankle surgery provision in Australia from 1997 to 2006?
Conclusion
Foot and ankle surgery accounts for significant healthcare costs in Australia, with an increasing number of procedures performed on older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- A total of 996,477 surgical procedures were performed on the foot and ankle by private surgeons in Australia from 1997 to 2006.
- The most common type of surgery was toenail surgery, accounting for 64% of all procedures.
- There was a relative increase in surgeries performed on individuals aged over 55 years during the study period.
Takeaway
Many people in Australia have foot problems, and a lot of them need surgery. This study looked at how many surgeries were done and how much they cost.
Methodology
Data from the Medicare Benefits Schedule database for foot and ankle surgeries from 1997 to 2006 were analyzed descriptively by sex and age.
Potential Biases
The data may not represent all foot surgeries due to exclusions and the inability to differentiate between types of surgical providers.
Limitations
The study does not include surgeries performed in public hospitals or by podiatric surgeons, and it cannot determine the number of individual patients undergoing surgery.
Participant Demographics
Approximately equal numbers of procedures were performed on males (52%) and females (48%), with a notable increase in surgeries for those aged over 55 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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