Chauhan D, Mehaffey JH, Hayanga JWA, Udassi JP, Badhwar V, Mascio CE. Volume Alone Does Not Predict Quality Outcomes in Hospitals Performing Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.
Ann Thorac Surg 2024;
117:1187-1193. [PMID:
38290594 DOI:
10.1016/j.athoracsur.2024.01.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Lower institutional volume has been associated with inferior pediatric cardiac surgery outcomes. This study explored the variation in mortality rates among low-, mid-, and high-volume hospitals performing pediatric cardiac surgery in the United States.
METHODS
The Kids' Inpatient Database was explored for the years 2016 and 2019. Hospitals performing only off-bypass coarctation and ventricular septal defect repair were omitted. The hospitals were divided into 3 groups by their annual case volume. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to obtain risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates.
RESULTS
A total of 25,749 operations performed by 235 hospitals were included in the study. The risk-adjusted mortality rate for the entire sample was 1.9%. There were 140 hospitals in the low-volume group, 64 hospitals in the mid-volume group, and 31 in the high-volume group. All groups had low-mortality (mortality <1.9%) and high-mortality (mortality >1.9%) hospitals. Among low-volume hospitals, 53% were low-mortality (n = 74) and 47% were high-mortality (n = 66) hospitals. Among mid-volume hospitals, 58% were low-mortality (n = 37) and 42% were high-mortality (n = 27) hospitals. Among high-volume hospitals, 68% were low-mortality (n = 21) and 32% were high-mortality (n = 10) hospitals. There was no statistically significant difference in risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality when comparing low-, mid-, and high-volume centers for 7 Society of Thoracic Surgeons benchmark procedures.
CONCLUSIONS
This national, real-world, risk-adjusted volume outcome analysis highlights that volume alone may not be the sole arbiter to predict quality of pediatric cardiac surgery outcomes. Using case volume alone as a surrogate for quality may unfairly asperse high-performing, low-volume programs.
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