Annals of Internal MedicineComparison of Hospital Outcomes for Patients Treated by Allopathic Versus Osteopathic Hospitalists

Similarities in Quality and Cost of Care: Allopathic vs. Osteopathic Physicians

As the medical field continues to evolve and diversify, it is imperative to understand the impact of physician education on patient outcomes and healthcare costs. This comprehensive observational study offers an insightful comparison between allopathic and osteopathic physicians in the context of hospitalized Medicare patients, revealing striking similarities in both the quality and cost of care provided.

• The study employed a 20% random sample of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries hospitalized between 2016 to 2019.
• The patient pool totaled 329,510 Medicare admissions, with 77.0% receiving care from allopathic physicians and 23.0% from osteopathic physicians.
• Primary outcome measure was 30-day patient mortality, with secondary outcomes including 30-day readmission, length of stay (LOS), and Part B health care spending.
• Adjusted mortality rates were similar between the two groups: 9.4% for allopathic physicians vs. 9.5% for osteopathic physicians.
• Rates of 30-day readmission, LOS, and health care spending showed negligible differences between the two groups.
• Multivariable regression models adjusted for patient and physician characteristics and hospital-level averages, effectively estimating differences within hospitals.
• Limitation: Data was specific to elderly Medicare patients hospitalized with medical conditions.