The Journal of arthroplasty
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Comparative Study
Certificate-of-Need State Laws and Total Hip Arthroplasty.
Many states have certificate-of-need (CON) programs requiring governmental approval to open or expand healthcare services, with the goal of limiting cost and coordinating utilization of healthcare resources. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the associations between these state-level CON regulations and total hip arthroplasty (THA). ⋯ CON laws did not appear to have limited the growth in incidence of THA nor improved quality of care or outcomes during the study time period. It does appear that CON laws are associated with increased concentration of THA procedures at higher volume facilities. Given the inherent potential confounding population and geographic factors, additional research is needed to confirm these findings.