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Shetty KD, Chen PG, Brara HS, Anand N, Skaggs DL, Calsavara VF, Qureshi NS, Weir R, McKelvey K, Nuckols TK. Variations in surgical practice and short-term outcomes for degenerative lumbar scoliosis and spondylolisthesis: do surgeon training and experience matter? Int J Qual Health Care 2024; 36:mzad109. [PMID: 38156345 PMCID: PMC10849168 DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzad109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
For diverse procedures, sizable geographic variation exists in rates and outcomes of surgery, including for degenerative lumbar spine conditions. Little is known about how surgeon training and experience are associated with surgeon-level variations in spine surgery practice and short-term outcomes. This retrospective observational analysis characterized variations in surgical operations for degenerative lumbar scoliosis or spondylolisthesis, two common age-related conditions. The study setting was two large spine surgery centers in one region during 2017-19. Using data (International Classification of Diseases-10th edition and current procedural terminology codes) extracted from electronic health record systems, we characterized surgeon-level variations in practice (use of instrumented fusion - a more extensive procedure that involves device-related risks) and short-term postoperative outcomes (major in-hospital complications and readmissions). Next, we tested for associations between surgeon training (specialty and spine fellowship) and experience (career stage and operative volume) and use of instrumented fusion as well as outcomes. Eighty-nine surgeons performed 2481 eligible operations. For the study diagnoses, spine surgeons exhibited substantial variation in operative volume, use of instrumented fusion, and postoperative outcomes. Among surgeons above the median operative volume, use of instrumented fusion ranged from 0% to >90% for scoliosis and 9% to 100% for spondylolisthesis, while rates of major in-hospital complications ranged from 0% to 25% for scoliosis and from 0% to 14% for spondylolisthesis. For scoliosis, orthopedic surgeons were more likely than neurosurgeons to perform instrumented fusion for scoliosis [49% vs. 33%, odds ratio (OR) = 2.3, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.3-4.2, P-value = .006] as were fellowship-trained surgeons (49% vs. 25%, OR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.6-5.8; P = .001). Fellowship-trained surgeons had lower readmission rates. Surgeons with higher operative volumes used instrumented fusion more often (OR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2, P < .05 for both diagnoses) and had lower rates of major in-hospital complications (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.85-0.97; P = .006). Surgical practice can vary greatly for degenerative spine conditions, even within the same region and among colleagues at the same institution. Surgical specialty and subspecialty, in addition to recent operative volume, can be linked to variations in spine surgeons' practice patterns and outcomes. These findings reinforce the notion that residency and fellowship training may contribute to variation and present important opportunities to optimize surgical practice over the course of surgeons' careers. Future efforts to reduce unexplained variation in surgical practice could test interventions focused on graduate medical education. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanaka D Shetty
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
| | - Peggy G Chen
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
| | - Harsimran S Brara
- Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles Medical Center, 4867 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Neel Anand
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - David L Skaggs
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | | | - Nabeel S Qureshi
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Rebecca Weir
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
| | - Karma McKelvey
- Rocky Vista University, Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine, 4130 Rocky Vista Way, Billings, Montana 59106, USA
| | - Teryl K Nuckols
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
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Simianu VV, Kumar AS. Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program (SCOAP): A Nuanced, Flexible Platform for Colorectal Surgical Research. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 2019; 32:25-32. [PMID: 30647543 DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1673351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program (SCOAP) is a surgeon-led quality improvement (QI) initiative developed in Washington State to track and reduce variability in surgical care. It has developed into a collaboration of over two-thirds of the hospitals in the state, who share data and receive regular benchmarking reports. Data are abstracted at each site by trained abstractors. While there has some overlap with other national QI databases, the data captured by SCOAP has clinical nuances that make it pragmatic for studying surgical care. We review the unique properties of SCOAP and offer some examples of its novel applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vlad V Simianu
- Colorectal Surgery Program, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Anjali S Kumar
- Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Everett, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver, Washington
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