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Chart 3
Back and Neck Procedures
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This chart lists 8 communities where this procedure is performed on its residents significantly less often than expected as noted by the minus percent figures. There are 7 communities where their residents receive this procedure significantly more often than expect when compared to the rest of the state. This is noted by the positive percent figures. Lumbar disc problems are treated with surgery only as a last resort unless there is ongoing nerve damage. Clearly, there are different decision processes at work here. The lesson is that a second opinion is very important to obtain information from different providers with different approaches.
For an overview of how to read our Medical Variation Charts, click here.
(Orange bars are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level or higher.)
| AREA NAME | Significance | Ratio: OBS/EXP | % Difference | AREA NAME |
| LEWISTON | P<0.001 | 1.37 | 37% | |
| AUGUSTA | P<0.001 | 1.32 | 32% | |
| BRUNSWICK | P<0.001 | 1.27 | 27% | |
| BOOTHBAY HARBOR | P<0.05 | 1.27 | 27% | |
| NORWAY | P<0.05 | 1.14 | 14% | |
| BIDDEFORD | P<0.01 | 1.11 | 11% | |
| ROCKLAND | P<0.05 | 1.10 | 10% | |
| MAINE TOTALS | 1.00 | 0% | ||
| P<0.01 | 0.81 | -19% | SKOWHEGAN | |
| P<0.001 | 0.78 | -22% | FARMINGTON | |
| P<0.01 | 0.77 | -23% | HOULTON | |
| P<0.001 | 0.76 | -24% | BANGOR | |
| P<0.001 | 0.73 | -27% | WATERVILLE | |
| P<0.01 | 0.72 | -28% | BLUE HILL | |
| P<0.01 | 0.71 | -29% | BAR HARBOR | |
| P<0.001 | 0.67 | -33% | ELLSWORTH | |
| P<0.001 | 0.62 | -38% | BELFAST | |
| P<0.001 | 0.61 | -39% | PITTSFIELD | |
| P<0.001 | 0.60 | -40% | LINCOLN | |
| P<0.001 | 0.52 | -48% | MACHIAS |
You can also review the full table for the underlying data that supports this chart
