The Influence of Workers' Compensation Status on Patient-Reported Outcomes after Cervical Disc Arthroplasty at an Ambulatory Surgical Center

Abstract

Introduction: Workers' compensation (WC) status tends to negatively affect patient outcomes in spine surgery. This study aims to evaluate the potential effect of WC status on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after cervical disc arthroplasty (CDR) at an ambulatory surgical center (ASC). Methods: A single-surgeon registry was retrospectively reviewed for patients who had undergone elective CDR at an ASC. Patients with missing insurance data were excluded. Propensity score-matched cohorts were generated by the presence or lack of WC status. PROs were collected preoperatively and at 6-week, 12-week, 6-month, and 1-year time points. PROs included the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function (PROMIS-PF), visual analog scale (VAS) neck and arm pain, and Neck Disability Index. PROs were compared within and between groups. Minimum clinically important difference (MCID) achievement rates were compared between groups. Results: Sixty-three patients were included, with 36 without WC (non-WC) and 27 with WC. The non-WC cohort demonstrated postoperative improvement in all PROs at all time points, with the exception of VAS arm past the 12-week point (P ≤ 0.030, all). The WC cohort demonstrated postoperative improvement in VAS neck at 12-week, 6-month, and 1-year time points (P ≤ 0.025, all). The WC cohort improved in VAS arm and Neck Disability Index at the 12-week and 1-year points as well (P ≤ 0.029, all). The non-WC cohort reported superior PRO scores in every PRO at one or more postoperative time points (P ≤ 0.046, all). The non-WC cohort demonstrated higher rates of minimum clinically important difference achievement in PROMIS-PF at 12 weeks (P ≤ 0.024). Conclusion: Patients with WC status undergoing CDR at an ASC may report inferior pain, function, and disability outcomes compared with those with private or government-provided insurance. Perceived inferior disability in WC patients persisted into the long-term follow-up period (1 year). These findings may aid surgeons in setting realistic preoperative expectations with patients at risk of inferior outcomes.