Vinita Shivakumar

All Publications

• The Role of Physician-Driven Device Preference in the Cost Variation of Common Interventional Radiology Procedures. Journal of vascular and interventional radiology : JVIR Shivakumar, V., Bundorf, M. K., Vezeridis, A. M., Kothary, N. 2021

  Abstract

  PURPOSE: To analyze the impact of physician-specific equipment preference on cost variation for procedures typically performed by interventional radiologists at a tertiary care academic hospital.MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2017 to October 2019, data on all expendable items used by 9 interventional radiologists for 11 common interventional radiology procedure categories were compiled from the hospital analytics system. This search yielded a final dataset of 44,654 items used in 2,121 procedures of 11 different categories. The mean cost per case for each physician as well as the mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation (CV) of the mean cost per case across physicians were calculated. The proportion of spending by item type was compared across physicians for 2 high-variation, high-volume procedures. The relationship between the mean cost per case and case volume was examined using linear regression.RESULTS: There was a high variability within each procedure, with the highest and the lowest CV for radioembolization administration (56.6%) and transjugular liver biopsy (4.9%), respectively. Variation in transarterial chemoembolization cost was mainly driven by microcatheters/microwires, while for nephrostomy, the main drivers were catheters/wires and access sets. Mean spending by physician was not significantly correlated with case volume (P=.584).CONCLUSIONS: Physicians vary in their item selection even for standard procedures. While the financial impact of these differences vary across procedures, these findings suggest that standardization may offer an opportunity for cost savings.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jvir.2021.01.275

  View details for PubMedID 33781687

• Entice With Procedures, Inspire With Primary Care: A Preclerkship Pipeline Course. PRiMER (Leawood, Kan.) Lin, C., Zheng, J., Shivakumar, V., Schillinger, E., Rydel, T. A., Montacute, T. 2021; 5: 22

  Abstract

  Background and Objectives: The growing demand for primary care clinicians in the United States continues to outstrip their dwindling supply. Many allopathic medical schools, including Stanford University School of Medicine, are not adequately meeting this shortage. We sought to develop a preclerkship elective to increase the visibility and desirability of primary care at our institution.Methods: A novel 9-week preclerkship elective titled "Primary Care Defined: Perspectives and Procedures," was designed as a series of procedural workshops followed by interactive sessions with local primary care clinicians. A total of 36 medical and physician assistant students were enrolled. We administered a questionnaire pre- and postcourse to evaluate the impact of the elective on learner interest and attitudes toward primary care.Results: Twenty-four enrolled and 10 nonenrolled learners completed the questionnaire both pre- and postcourse. A one-way analysis of covariance controlling for gender, program (medical doctor versus physician assistant), and precourse responses demonstrated that enrollees had a significantly increased interest in primary care compared to nonenrollees after the course (F 1,32=9.22, P=.005). Enrollees also more positively rated their attitudes toward compensation, scope of practice, and job fulfillment than nonenrollees. Both groups had high levels of agreement on statements concerning patient-physician interactions and the importance of primary care to the health care system.Conclusion: The design and content of this elective offers a framework for other institutions looking to promote the value of primary care specialties, particularly family medicine. Creating opportunities for experiential learning and early student-faculty engagement may encourage preclerkship learners to consider a career in primary care.

  View details for DOI 10.22454/PRiMER.2021.782026

  View details for PubMedID 34286225