Likewise, we did not take into account the possible increase in device longevity resulting from delaying box change in patients on HM (in whom automatic alerts are available to warn of low battery charge), as well as an increase in FU frequency in patients with CFU in whom the battery is reaching the elective replacement indicator.
The current study revealed that the Dutch PI hospital data infrastructure is heterogeneous, and the reported performance data under investigation can be regarded as largely implausible, particularly those of the Hip and Knee replacement indicators.
Likewise, the physicians were able to increase the frequency of remote interrogations to monitor elective replacement indicators or if the patient or device were otherwise considered as requiring more intensive follow-up.
The standard deviation of the annual change in the benefit replacement rate indicator is calculated over all available observations.
The use of alternative thresholds beyond which the change in a benefit replacement rate indicator is identified as a reform shock.
The introduction of "reverse" reforms, measured as large changes in the benefit replacement rate indicator in the opposite direction, as additional control variables7.
Second, some aspects of labour market reforms are not taken into account in quantitative policy indicators (e.g., coverage and conditionality of unemployment benefits are not taken into account in the net replacement rate indicator).
In order to assess the sensitivity of the baseline results, we perform the three following robustness checks: The use of alternative thresholds beyond which the change in a benefit replacement rate indicator is identified as a reform shock.
In the baseline approach, a reform shock is identified when the benefit replacement rate indicator varies by more than two standard deviations of the annual variation calculated over all available observations.
Participants with a higher educational level ranked the number of yearly performed total knee- or hip replacements among adults (indicator about hospital services) as more important than participants with a lower educational level (see Additional file 1, Table S4).
