Does it matter what a hospital is "high volume" for? Specificity of hospital volume-outcome associations for surgical procedures: analysis of administrative data

Survival variability across hospitals after resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A multilevel survival analysis on a high-resolution population-based study

INTRODUCTION

Resection is the cornerstone of curative management for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Hospital surgical volume influence post-operative mortality. Few is known about impact on survival.

METHODS

Population included 763 patients resected for PDAC within the 4 French digestive tumor registries between 2000 and 2014. Spline method was used to determine annual surgical volume thresholds influencing survival. A multilevel survival regression model was used to study center effect.

RESULTS

Population was divided into three groups: low-volume (LVC) (<41 hepatobiliary/pancreatic procedures/year), medium-volume (MVC) (41-233) and high-volume centers (HVC) (>233). Patients in LVC were older (p = 0.02), had a lower rate of disease-free margins (76.7% vs. 77.2% and 69.5%, p = 0.028) and a higher post-operative mortality than in MVC and HVC (12.5% and 7.5% vs. 2.2%; p = 0.004). Median survival was higher in HVC than in other centers (25 vs. 15.2 months, p < 0.0001). Survival variance attributable to center effect accounted for 3.7% of total variance. In multilevel survival analysis, surgical volume explained the inter-hospital survival heterogeneity (non-significant variance after adding the volume to the model p = 0.3). Patients resected in HVC had a better survival than in LVC (HR 0.64 [0.50-0.82], p < 0.0001). There was no difference between MVC and HVC.

CONCLUSION

Regarding center effect, individual characteristics had little impact on survival variability across hospitals. Hospital volume was a major contributor to the center effect. Given the difficulty of centralizing pancreatic surgery, it would be wise to determine which factors would indicate management in a HVC.

European Respiratory Society guideline on various aspects of quality in lung cancer care

This European Respiratory Society guideline is dedicated to the provision of good quality recommendations in lung cancer care. All the clinical recommendations contained were based on a comprehensive systematic review and evidence syntheses based on eight PICO (Patients, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes) questions. The evidence was appraised in compliance with the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. Evidence profiles and the GRADE Evidence to Decision frameworks were used to summarise results and to make the decision-making process transparent. A multidisciplinary Task Force panel of lung cancer experts formulated and consented the clinical recommendations following thorough discussions of the systematic review results. In particular, we have made recommendations relating to the following quality improvement measures deemed applicable to routine lung cancer care: 1) avoidance of delay in the diagnostic and therapeutic period, 2) integration of multidisciplinary teams and multidisciplinary consultations, 3) implementation of and adherence to lung cancer guidelines, 4) benefit of higher institutional/individual volume and advanced specialisation in lung cancer surgery and other procedures, 5) need for pathological confirmation of lesions in patients with pulmonary lesions and suspected lung cancer, and histological subtyping and molecular characterisation for actionable targets or response to treatment of confirmed lung cancers, 6) added value of early integration of palliative care teams or specialists, 7) advantage of integrating specific quality improvement measures, and 8) benefit of using patient decision tools. These recommendations should be reconsidered and updated, as appropriate, as new evidence becomes available.

Centralisation of surgery for complex cancer diseases: A scoping review of the evidence base on pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Centralisation of cancer surgery is a commonly applied healthcare strategy worldwide. This study aimed to detail the design of centralisation policies, to shed light on the implications of such policies in real practice and to describe the different perspectives taken to deal with difficulties that emerged, taking pancreatic cancer as an example of a complex cancer disease requiring surgery.

METHODOLOGY

A scoping review was conducted using the MEDLINE database. We systematically searched for eligible studies published between January 2000 and December 2018.

RESULTS

In the 33 included studies, centralisation of pancreatic cancer surgery was implemented through three different models: designated hospitals, definition of minimum volumes per provider, and/or recommendations included in protocols and national guidelines. The presence of highly advanced technology and infrastructures, the availability of extensive service coverage and advanced care processes based on expert multidisciplinary teams, and higher caseloads were identified as key components of centralisation policy.

CONCLUSIONS

Centralisation models for pancreatic cancer surgery showed that having expert centres where the care process is comprehensively guided is a foundational policy approach. External quality assessment and the accreditation of centres and professionals performing complex surgical procedures are levers that may positively impact the effectiveness of the measure. POLICY SUMMARY: while we found different experiences and three models of centralisation, all of them were guided by the will to positively impact on pancreatic cancer patients' access to expert care. Clinical research might be able to make progress in the coming years and perhaps contribute to reversing a critical situation of high mortality and growing incidence. However, policymakers must optimise health system responses considering current resources, as suggested by the recommendations proposed in the framework of the EU initiative Bratislava Statement for pancreatic cancer care.

Emergency general surgery: Impact of hospital and surgeon admission case volume on mortality

BACKGROUND

Emergency general surgery (EGS) is a high-volume and high-risk surgical service. Interhospital variation in EGS outcomes exists, but there is disagreement in the literature as to whether hospital admission volume affects in-hospital mortality. Scotland collects high-quality data on all admitted patients, whether managed operatively or nonoperatively. Our aim was to determine the relationship between hospital admission volume and in-hospital mortality of EGS patients in Scotland. Second, to investigate whether surgeon admission volume affects mortality.

METHODS

This national population-level cohort study included EGS patients aged 16 years and older, who were admitted to a Scottish hospital between 2014 and 2018 (inclusive). A logistic regression model was created, with in-hospital mortality as the dependent variable, and admission volume of hospital per year as a continuous covariate of interest, adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, deprivation, surgeon admission volume, surgeon operative rate, transfer status, diagnosis, and operation category.

RESULTS

There were 376,076 admissions to 25 hospitals, which met our inclusion criteria. The EGS hospital admission rate per year had no effect on in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.000; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.000-1.000). Higher average surgeon monthly admission volume increased the odds of in-hospital mortality (>35 admissions: OR, 1.139; 95% CI, 1.038-1.250; 25-35 admissions: OR, 1.091; 95% CI, 1.004-1.185; <25 admissions was the referent).

CONCLUSION

In Scotland, in contrast to other settings, EGS hospital admission volume did not influence in-hospital mortality. The finding of an association between individual surgeons' case volume and in-hospital mortality warrants further investigation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Care management, Level IV.

Association between operation volume and postoperative mortality in the elective open repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms: systematic review

Background

An inverse association between the case volume per hospital and surgeon and perioperative mortality has been shown for many surgical interventions. There are numerous studies on this issue for the open treatment of infrarenal aortic aneurysms.

Aim

To present the available data on the association between the case volume per hospital and surgeon and perioperative mortality in the elective open repair of infrarenal aortic aneurysms in a systematic review.

Materials and methods

Using the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, Current Contents Medicine (CCMed), and ClinicalTrials.gov databases, a systematic search was performed using defined keywords. From the search results, all original papers were included that compared the elective open repair of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm in a “high volume” center with a “low volume” center or by a “high volume” surgeon with a “low volume” surgeon, as defined in the respective study.

Results

After deduplication, the literature search yielded 1021 hits of which 60 publications met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 37/43 studies showed a lower mortality in “high volume” compared to “low volume” centers and 14/17 comparisons showed a lower mortality for “high volume” compared to “low volume” surgeons. The effect measures, usually odds ratios, ranged from 0.37 to 0.99 for volume per hospital and 0.31 to 0.92 for volume per surgeon. Regarding the threshold values for the definition of “high volume” and “low volume,” a clear heterogeneity was shown between the individual studies.

Discussion

The available data on the association between the case volume per hospital and surgeon and perioperative mortality in the elective open repair of infrarenal aortic aneurysms show that interventions performed in “high volume” centers or by “high volume” surgeons are associated with lower mortality. To ensure the best possible outcome in terms of low perioperative mortality in the open repair of infrarenal aortic aneurysms, the aim should be centralization with high case volume per hospital and surgeon.

Provider caseload volume and short-term outcomes following colorectal surgeries in New Brunswick: a provincial-level cohort study

BACKGROUND

American studies have shown that higher provider and hospital volumes are associated with reduced risk of mortality following colorectal surgical interventions. Evidence from Canada is limited, and to our knowledge only a single study has considered outcomes other than death. We describe associations between provider surgical volume and all-cause mortality and postoperative complications following colorectal surgical interventions in New Brunswick.

METHODS

We used hospital discharge abstracts linked to vital statistics, the provincial cancer registry and patient registry data. We considered all admissions for colorectal surgeries from 2007 through 2013. We used logistic regression to identify odds of dying and odds of complications (from any of anastomosis leak, unplanned colostomy, intra-abdominal sepsis or pneumonia) within 30 days of discharge from hospital according to provider volume (i.e., total interventions performed over the preceding 2 years) adjusted for personal, contextual, provider and hospital characteristics.

RESULTS

Overall, 9170 interventions were performed by 125 providers across 18 hospitals. We found decreased odds of experiencing a complication following colorectal surgery per increment of 10 interventions performed per year (odds ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.91-0.96). We found no associations with mortality. Associations remained consistent across models restricted to cancer patients or to interventions performed by general surgeons and across models that also considered overall hospital volumes.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that increased caseloads are associated with reduced odds of complications, but not with all-cause mortality, following colorectal surgery in New Brunswick. We also found no evidence of volume having differential effects on outcomes from colon and rectal procedures.

Mortality effects of timing alternatives for hip fracture surgery

BACKGROUND

The appropriate timing of hip fracture surgery remains a matter of debate. We sought to estimate the effect of changes in timing policy and the proportion of deaths attributable to surgical delay.

METHODS

We obtained discharge abstracts from the Canadian Institute for Health Information for hip fracture surgery in Canada (excluding Quebec) between 2004 and 2012. We estimated the expected population-average risks of inpatient death within 30 days if patients were surgically treated on day of admission, inpatient day 2, day 3 or after day 3. We weighted observations with the inverse propensity score of surgical timing according to confounders selected from a causal diagram.

RESULTS

Of 139 119 medically stable patients with hip fracture who were aged 65 years or older, 32 120 (23.1%) underwent surgery on admission day, 60 505 (43.5%) on inpatient day 2, 29 236 (21.0%) on day 3 and 17 258 (12.4%) after day 3. Cumulative 30-day in-hospital mortality was 4.9% among patients who were surgically treated on admission day, increasing to 6.9% for surgery done after day 3. We projected an additional 10.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.8 to 15.1) deaths per 1000 surgeries if all surgeries were done after inpatient day 3 instead of admission day. The attributable proportion of deaths for delays beyond inpatient day 2 was 16.5% (95% CI 12.0% to 21.0%).

INTERPRETATION

Surgery on admission day or the following day was estimated to reduce postoperative mortality among medically stable patients with hip fracture. Hospitals should expedite operating room access for patients whose surgery has already been delayed for nonmedical reasons.

Does service heterogeneity have an impact on acute hospital length of stay in stroke? A UK-based multicentre prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether stroke patients' acute hospital length of stay (AHLOS) varies between hospitals, over and above case mix differences and to investigate the hospital-level explanatory factors.

DESIGN

A multicentre prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Eight National Health Service acute hospital trusts within the Anglia Stroke & Heart Clinical Network in the East of England, UK.

PARTICIPANTS

The study sample was systematically selected to include all consecutive patients admitted within a month to any of the eight hospitals, diagnosed with stroke by an accredited stroke physician every third month between October 2009 and September 2011.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

AHLOS was defined as the number of days between date of hospital admission and discharge or death, whichever came first. We used a multiple linear regression model to investigate the association between hospital (as a fixed-effect) and AHLOS, adjusting for several important patient covariates, such as age, sex, stroke type, modified Rankin Scale score (mRS), comorbidities and inpatient complications. Exploratory data analysis was used to examine the hospital-level characteristics which may contribute to variance between hospitals. These included hospital type, stroke monthly case volume, service provisions (ie, onsite rehabilitation) and staffing levels.

RESULTS

A total of 2233 stroke admissions (52% female, median age (IQR) 79 (70 to 86) years, 83% ischaemic stroke) were included. The overall median AHLOS (IQR) was 9 (4 to 21) days. After adjusting for patient covariates, AHLOS still differed significantly between hospitals (p<0.001). Furthermore, hospitals with the longest adjusted AHLOS's had predominantly smaller stroke volumes.

CONCLUSIONS

We have clearly demonstrated that AHLOS varies between different hospitals, and that the most important patient-level explanatory variables are discharge mRS, dementia and inpatient complications. We highlight the potential importance of stroke volume in influencing these differences but cannot discount the potential effect of unmeasured confounders.

Patient safety incidents during interhospital transport of patients: A prospective analysis

INTRODUCTION

Interhospital transport of critically ill patients is at risk of complications. The objective of the study was to prospectively record patient safety incidents that occurred during interhospital transports and to determine their risk factors.

METHODS

We prospectively collected data during a fifteen-month period in 2 hospitals. Patient and transport characteristics were collected using a specifically designed tool. Patient safety incidents were appraised for health-care associated harm, and categorized as technical, operational, and communication problems.

RESULTS

Our study included 688 patients who were transferred to or from one of both hospitals by physician or nurse led transport, with complete records. A patient safety incident was reported in 16.7% of transports, health-care associated harm was noted in 3.9% of cases. In multivariate analysis, three factors remained significantly associated with an increased risk of healthcare-associated harm: operational incidents (odds ratio=144.93, 95% CI=37.55-767.50, P<0.001), communication incidents (odds ratio=11.05, 95% CI=3.02-52.99, P<0.001) and the Modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (M-SOFA) score (odds ratio=1.198, 95% CI=1.038-1.40, P=0.017).

CONCLUSIONS

The observed rate of patient safety incidents during interhospital transfers is lower than previously reported in the literature. However, there is limited previous work done on this topic. Operational and communication incidents, and a higher M-SOFA score are significantly associated with increase odds of harmful incident. These findings call for stricter preparation of transfers, with clear and standardized communication.

Systematic review and a meta-analysis of hospital and surgeon volume/outcome relationships in colorectal cancer surgery

BACKGROUND

Numerous hospitals worldwide are considering setting minimum volume standards for colorectal surgery. This study aims to examine the association between hospital and surgeon volume on outcomes for colorectal surgery.

METHODS

Two investigators independently reviewed six databases from inception to May 2016 for articles that reported outcomes according to hospital and/or surgeon volume. Eligible studies included those in which assessed the association hospital or surgeon volume with outcomes for the surgical treatment of colon and/or rectal cancer. Random effects models were used to pool the hazard ratios (HRs) for the association between hospital/surgeon volume with outcomes.

RESULTS

There were 47 articles pooled (1,122,303 patients, 9,877 hospitals and 9,649 surgeons). The meta-analysis demonstrated that there is a volume-outcome relationship that favours high volume facilities and high volume surgeons. Higher hospital and surgeon volume resulted in reduced 30-day mortality (HR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.78-0.87, P<0.001 & HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.80-0.89, P<0.001 respectively) and intra-operative mortality (HR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.76-0.86, P<0.001 & HR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.40-0.62, P<0.001 respectively). Post-operative complication rates depended on hospital volume (HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81-0.98, P<0.05), but not surgeon volume except with respect to anastomotic leak (HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.37-0.94, P<0.01). High volume surgeons are associated with greater 5-year survival and greater lymph node retrieval, whilst reducing recurrence rates, operative time, length of stay and cost. The best outcomes occur in high volume hospitals with high volume surgeons, followed by low volume hospitals with high volume surgeons.

CONCLUSIONS

High volume by surgeon and high volume by hospital are associated with better outcomes for colorectal cancer surgery. However, this relationship is non-linear with no clear threshold of effect being identified and an apparent ceiling of effect.

Hospital mortality after hip fracture surgery in relation to length of stay by care delivery factors: A database study

Two hypotheses were offered for the effect of shorter hospital stays on mortality after hip fracture surgery: worsening the quality of care and shifting death occurrence to postacute settings.We tested whether the risk of hospital death after hip fracture surgery differed across years when postoperative stays shortened, and whether care factors moderated the association.Analysis of acute hospital discharge abstracts for subgroups defined by hospital type, bed capacity, surgical volume, and admission time.153,917 patients 65 years or older surgically treated for first hip fracture.Risk of hospital death.We found a decrease in the 30-day risk of hospital death from 7.0% (95%CI: 6.6-7.5) in 2004 to 5.4% (95%CI: 5.0-5.7) in 2012, with an adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.71 (95%CI: 0.63-0.80). In subgroup analysis, only large community hospitals showed the reduction of ORs by calendar year. No trend was observed in teaching and medium community hospitals. By 2012, the risk of death in large higher volume community hospitals was 34% lower for weekend admissions, OR = 0.66 (95%CI: 0.46-0.95) and 39% lower for weekday admissions, OR = 0.61 (95%CI: 0.40-0.91), compared to 2004. In large lower volume community hospitals, the 2012 risk was 56% lower for weekend admissions, OR = 0.44 (95%CI: 0.26-0.75), compared to 2004.The risk of hospital death after hip fracture surgery decreased only in large community hospitals, despite universal shortening of hospital stays. This supports the concern of worsening the quality of hip fracture care due to shorter stays.

Case mix-adjusted cost of colectomy at low-, middle-, and high-volume academic centers

BACKGROUND

Efforts to regionalize surgery based on thresholds in procedure volume may have consequences on the cost of health care delivery. This study aims to delineate the relationship between hospital volume, case mix, and variability in the cost of operative intervention using colectomy as the model.

METHODS

All patients undergoing colectomy (n = 90,583) at 183 academic hospitals from 2009-2012 in The University HealthSystems Consortium Database were studied. Patient and procedure details were used to generate a case mix-adjusted predictive model of total direct costs. Observed to expected costs for each center were evaluated between centers based on overall procedure volume.

RESULTS

Patient and procedure characteristics were significantly different between volume tertiles. Observed costs at high-volume centers were less than at middle- and low-volume centers. According to our predictive model, high-volume centers cared for a less expensive case mix than middle- and low-volume centers ($12,786 vs $13,236 and $14,497, P < .01). Our predictive model accounted for 44% of the variation in costs. Overall efficiency (standardized observed to expected costs) was greatest at high-volume centers compared to middle- and low-volume tertiles (z score -0.16 vs 0.02 and -0.07, P < .01).

CONCLUSION

Hospital costs and cost efficiency after an elective colectomy varies significantly between centers and may be attributed partially to the patient differences at those centers. These data demonstrate that a significant proportion of the cost variation is due to a distinct case mix at low-volume centers, which may lead to perceived poor performance at these centers.

Facility characteristics and quality of lung cancer care in an integrated health care system

INTRODUCTION

In a national, integrated health care system, we sought to identify facility-level attributes associated with better quality of lung cancer care.

METHODS

Adherence to 23 quality indicators across four domains (Diagnosis and Staging, Treatment, Supportive Care, End-of-Life Care) was assessed through abstraction of electronic records from 4804 lung cancer patients diagnosed in 2007 at 131 Veterans Health Administration facilities. Performance was reported as proportions of eligible patients fulfilling adherence criteria. With stratification of patients by stage, generalized estimating equations identified facility-level characteristics associated with performance by domain.

RESULTS

Overall performance was high for the older (mean age 67.7 years, SD 9.4 years), predominantly male (98%) veterans. However, no facility did well on every measure, and range of adherence across facilities was large; 9% of facilities were in the highest quartile for one or more domain of care, more than 30% for two, and 65% for three. No facility performed consistently well across all domains. Less than 1% performed in the lowest quartile for all. Few facility-level characteristics were associated with care quality. For End-of-Life Care, diagnosis and treatment within the same facility, availability of cancer psychiatry/psychology consultation services, and availability of both inpatient and outpatient palliative care consultation services were associated with better adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

Quality of Veterans Health Administration lung cancer care is generally high, though substantial variation exists across facilities. With the exception of the salutary impact of palliative care consultation services on end-of-life quality of care, observed facility-level characteristics did not consistently predict adherence to indicators, suggesting quality may be determined by complex local factors that are difficult to measure.

Methodological considerations in observational comparative effectiveness research for implantable medical devices: an epidemiologic perspective

Medical devices play a vital role in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases and are an integral part of the health-care system. Many devices, including implantable medical devices, enter the market through a regulatory pathway that was not designed to assure safety and effectiveness. Several recent studies and high-profile device recalls have demonstrated the need for well-designed, valid postmarketing studies of medical devices. Medical device epidemiology is a relatively new field compared with pharmacoepidemiology, which for decades has been developed to assess the safety and effectiveness of medications. Many methodological considerations in pharmacoepidemiology apply to medical device epidemiology. Fundamental differences in mechanisms of action and use and in how exposure data are captured mean that comparative effectiveness studies of medical devices often necessitate additional and different considerations. In this paper, we discuss some of the most salient issues encountered in conducting comparative effectiveness research on implantable devices. We discuss special methodological considerations regarding the use of data sources, exposure and outcome definitions, timing of exposure, and sources of bias.

Institutional characteristics associated with receipt of emergency care for obstructive pyelonephritis at community hospitals

PURPOSE

Delivering the recommended care is an important quality measure that has been insufficiently studied in urology. Obstructive pyelonephritis is a suitable case study for this focus because many patients do not receive such care, although guidelines advocate decompression. We determined the influence of hospital factors, particularly familiarity with urolithiasis, on the likelihood of decompression in such patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used the NIS from 2002 to 2011 to retrospectively identify patients admitted to community hospitals with severe infection and ureteral calculi. Hospital familiarity with nephrolithiasis was estimated by calculating hospital stone volume (divided into quartiles) and hospital treatment intensity (the decompression rate in patients with ureteral calculi and no infection). After calculating national estimates we performed logistic regression to determine the association between the receipt of decompression and hospital stone volume, controlling for treatment intensity and other covariates thought to be associated with receiving recommended care.

RESULTS

Of an estimated 107,848 patients with obstructive pyelonephritis 27.4% failed to undergo decompression. Discrepancies were greatest between hospitals with the highest and lowest stone volumes (76% vs 25%, OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.94-3.96, p <0.01) as well as high and low treatment intensity (78% vs 37%, p <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

High hospital stone volume and treatment intensity were associated with an increased likelihood of receiving decompression. Such findings might be useful to identify hospitals and regions where access to quality urological care should be augmented.

Are our publications failing the inspection?: a review of the publications in rectal cancer surgery between 2002 and 2012

BACKGROUND

Quality of publications is considered a subjective measurement, and more weight is placed on prospective studies, especially randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses.

OBJECTIVE

This study describes the type of publications and evaluates the quality of randomized clinical trials and review articles using an objective measurement.

DATA SOURCES

Medline (PubMed) is the data source for this work.

STUDY SELECTION

We used the terms "rectal neoplasms/surgery" and the filters "10 years," "humans," and "English."

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We measured compliance with checklist items. Randomized clinical trials were reviewed using the Consolidates Standards of Reporting Trials statement; systematic reviews/meta-analyses were reviewed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement.

RESULTS

A total of 3603 articles were identified: 20.8% were case report/series, 20.5% were retrospective cohorts, 14.0% were reviews or meta-analyses, 16.4% were prospective cohorts, 14.0% were other types of articles (comments, letters, or editorials), 5.5% were clinical trials (phase I/II), 4.2% were randomized clinical trials, and 4.4% were cross-sectional studies. We reviewed 108 randomized clinical trials; the maximum score possible was 74.0, the average score was 44.6 (range, 20.0-64.0), 4 (3.7%) were graded as "excellent," 21 (19.4%) were "good," 44 (40.7%) were "deficient," and 39 (36.1%) were graded as "fail." The predictors of higher scores for randomized clinical trials were year of publication after 2007 (p = 0.00), higher impact factor (p = 0.03), and declared funding (p = 0.01). Twenty-nine meta-analyses were reviewed; the average score was 19.64 (range, 12.0-25.0); 5 articles (17.2%) were graded as "excellent," 12 (41.4%) were "good," 10 (34.5%) were "deficient," and 2 (6.9%) were "fail."

LIMITATIONS

Only 1 electronic database was used, so we lacked a validated score. In addition, the search terms did not include "colorectal."

CONCLUSIONS

A total of 20.8% of the articles published were case reports and 25.0% of the articles were prospective or clinical trials. Although randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews provide the highest level of evidence, publications with missing data limit replication of the study and affect the generalizability of results to other populations. To improve the quality of our publications, authors, reviewers, and journal editors should consider the endorsement of standardize checklists.

Improving quality through process change: a scoping review of process improvement tools in cancer surgery

BACKGROUND

Surgery is a cornerstone of treatment for malignancy. However, significant variation has been reported in patterns and quality of cancer care for important health outcomes, including perioperative mortality. Surgical process improvement tools (SPITs) have been developed that focus on enhancing the processes of care at the point of care, as a means of quality improvement. This study describes SPITs and develops a conceptual framework by synthesizing the available literature on these novel quality improvement tools.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted based on instruments developed for quality improvement in surgery. The search was executed on electronically indexed sources (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library) from January 1990 to March 2011. Data were extracted, tabulated and reported thematically using a narrative synthesis approach. These results were used to develop a conceptual framework that describes and classifies SPITs.

RESULTS

232 articles were reviewed for data extraction and analysis. SPITs identified were classified into 3 groups: clinical mapping tools, structure communication tools and error reduction instruments. The dominant instrument reported were clinical mapping tools, including: clinical pathways (113, 48%), fast track (46, 20%) and enhanced recovery after surgery protocols (36, 15%). Outcomes reported included: length of stay (174, 75%), readmission rates (116, 50%), morbidity (116, 50%), mortality (104, 45%), and economic (60, 26%). Many gaps in the literature were recognized.

CONCLUSION

We have developed a conceptual framework of SPITs and identified gaps in current knowledge. These results will guide the design and development of new quality instruments in surgery.

Variations and inter-relationship in outcome from emergency admissions in England: a retrospective analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics from 2005-2010

BACKGROUND

The quality of care delivered and clinical outcomes of care are of paramount importance. Wide variations in the outcome of emergency care have been suggested, but the scale of variation, and the way in which outcomes are inter-related are poorly defined and are critical to understand how best to improve services. This study quantifies the scale of variation in three outcomes for a contemporary cohort of patients undergoing emergency medical and surgical admissions. The way in which the outcomes of different diagnoses relate to each other is investigated.

METHODS

A retrospective study using the English Hospital Episode Statistics 2005-2010 with one-year follow-up for all patients with one of 20 of the commonest and highest-risk emergency medical or surgical conditions. The primary outcome was in-hospital all-cause risk-standardised mortality rate (in-RSMR). Secondary outcomes were 1-year all-cause risk-standardised mortality rate (1 yr-RSMR) and 28-day all-cause emergency readmission rate (RSRR).

RESULTS

2,406,709 adult patients underwent emergency medical or surgical admissions in the groups of interest. Clinically and statistically significant variations in outcome were observed between providers for all three outcomes (p < 0.001). For some diagnoses including heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, stroke and fractured neck of femur, more than 20% of hospitals lay above the upper 95% control limit and were statistical outliers. The risk-standardised outcomes within a given hospital for an individual diagnostic group were significantly associated with the aggregated outcome of the other clinical groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital-level risk-standardised outcomes for emergency admissions across a range of specialties vary considerably and cross traditional speciality boundaries. This suggests that global institutional infra-structure and processes of care influence outcomes. The implications are far reaching, both in terms of investigating performance at individual hospitals and in understanding how hospitals can learn from the best performers to improve outcomes.

Surgical process improvement tools: defining quality gaps and priority areas in gastrointestinal cancer surgery

BACKGROUND

Surgery is a cornerstone of cancer treatment, but significant differences in the quality of surgery have been reported. Surgical process improvement tools (spits) modify the processes of care as a means to quality improvement (qi). We were interested in developing spits in the area of gastrointestinal (gi) cancer surgery. We report the recommendations of an expert panel held to define quality gaps and establish priority areas that would benefit from spits.

METHODS

The present study used the knowledge-to-action cycle was as a framework. Canadian experts in qi and in gi cancer surgery were assembled in a nominal group workshop. Participants evaluated the merits of spits, described gaps in current knowledge, and identified and ranked processes of care that would benefit from qi. A qualitative analysis of the workshop deliberations using modified grounded theory methods identified major themes.

RESULTS

The expert panel consisted of 22 participants. Experts confirmed that spits were an important strategy for qi. The top-rated spits included clinical pathways, electronic information technology, and patient safety tools. The preferred settings for use of spits included preoperative and intraoperative settings and multidisciplinary contexts. Outcomes of interest were cancer-related outcomes, process, and the technical quality of surgery measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical process improvement tools were confirmed as an important strategy. Expert panel recommendations will be used to guide future research efforts for spits in gi cancer surgery.

Inter-relationship of procedural mortality rates in vascular surgery in England: retrospective analysis of hospital episode statistics from 2005 to 2010

BACKGROUND

Wide variations in vascular surgical outcomes have been demonstrated in England. The objective of this study was to determine whether risk-adjusted postoperative mortality rates for elective and emergency vascular surgical procedures were inter-related.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A retrospective observational study using National Health Service administrative data on adult patients undergoing elective or emergency vascular surgery from 2005 to 2010. The 10 procedures covered the broad spectrum of workload for a vascular surgical service. The primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were 30-day and 1-year mortality. Data were risk-adjusted using multilevel modeling. Analyses comprised a 2-level basket designed to evaluate variations in outcome and whether the outcome of each procedure could be predicted by the composite outcome of all other procedures. A total of 116,596 vascular surgical procedures were performed across 166 providers. For 9 of 10 procedures, there were hospitals lying outside 95% control limits for ≥1 mortality outcome. The key finding was that ≥1 risk-adjusted mortality outcome for any 1 of the 9 vascular surgical procedures could be predicted by the aggregated within provider performance of the other vascular surgical procedures combined.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital-level risk-adjusted mortality for both elective and emergency vascular procedures in England varies considerably, and providers were globally high or low performers. The data should be made available to patients, relatives, and the purchasers of services to drive improvements in the provision of vascular surgical services.

Impact of provider volume on operative mortality after radical cystectomy in a publicly funded healthcare system

INTRODUCTION

We assess the effect of cystectomy provider volume on postoperative mortality in a publicly funded healthcare system. Hospital and surgeon (provider) volume have been shown to be associated with clinically important outcomes for many types of surgery. Volume-outcome studies in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer have primarily originated from privately funded healthcare systems.

METHODS

We identified patients undergoing cystectomy in Ontario, Canada, between 1992 and 2004 using administrative databases. The effect of provider volume on postoperative mortality was assessed with multilevel (hierarchical or random effects) logistic regression models, adjusted for patient characteristics. Separate models were fit to examine the effect of surgeon volume and the effect of hospital volume.

RESULTS

Of the 3296 cystectomy patients identified, 126 (3.8%) experienced a postoperative death. Neither hospital volume (odds ratio [per 1 unit increase in volume] 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95-1.00; p = 0.074) nor surgeon volume (odds ratio 0.96, 95% CI 0.90-1.02; p = 0.143) were statistically significantly associated with postoperative cystectomy mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In Ontario's publicly funded healthcare system, provider volume was not significantly associated with postoperative mortality.

What provider volumes and characteristics are appropriate for gastric cancer resection? Results of an international RAND/UCLA expert panel

BACKGROUND

A relationship between higher volume providers and improved outcomes has been suggested by some studies and has been used to construct guidelines for many diseases. For gastric cancer (GC), however, optimal volume cutoffs are not clear.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary expert panel of 16 physicians from 6 countries scored 120 scenarios regarding provider characteristics for gastric resections for GC. Appropriateness of scenarios was scored from 1 (highly inappropriate) to 9 (highly appropriate). Median appropriateness scores from 1 to 3 were considered inappropriate, 4 to 6 uncertain, and 7 to 9 appropriate. Agreement was reached when 12 of 16 panelists scored the statement similarly. Appropriate scenarios agreed on were scored subsequently for necessity.

RESULTS

Surgeon and hospital practice volume scenarios were evaluated. The panel felt it was inappropriate for surgeons doing ≤2 GC cases per year to perform a multivisceral resection (MVR), D2 lymphadenectomy (D2-LND), or laparoscopic total gastrectomy, and ≤6 GC cases per year for an MVR involving a pancreatoduodenectomy (MVR-PD), or endoscopic mucosal resections (EMR). It was considered appropriate for surgeons doing ≥11 GC cases per year to perform open gastrectomy or D2-LND, and ≥20 GC cases per year for any MVR, laparoscopic gastrectomy, or EMR. For hospitals, it was considered inappropriate for hospitals managing ≤4 GC cases per year to perform D2-LND or laparoscopic total gastrectomy, and ≤10 GC cases per year, for MVR-PD or EMR. Hospital volumes ≥21 cases per year was considered appropriate for any GC procedure. It was inappropriate for an MVR to be performed in a hospital without interventional radiology services and for a MVR-PD in a hospital with no level I intensive care unit.

CONCLUSION

Appropriate and inappropriate provider volumes for a variety of gastric procedures have been defined by an international expert panel.

Higher surgeon and hospital volume improves long-term survival after radical cystectomy

BACKGROUND

Hospital and surgeon (provider) volume are associated with clinically significant outcomes for many types of surgery. Volume-outcome studies in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer have focused primarily on postoperative mortality. In the current study, the authors assessed the effect of cystectomy provider volume on long-term mortality.

METHODS

Using administrative databases, 2535 patients who underwent cystectomy by 199 surgeons in 90 hospitals in Ontario, Canada, between 1992 and 2004 were identified. The impact of provider volume on overall survival (OS) was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models fully adjusted for patient and tumor characteristics. Separate models were fit to examine the effect of surgeon and hospital volume. To confirm that the impact of volume on OS was independent of the effect of volume on short-term mortality, analyses were repeated excluding those patients experiencing postoperative deaths.

RESULTS

Of 2535 patients, 1796 (70.9%) died during the study period. Both higher hospital volume (hazards ratio [per unit increase in average annual number of procedures], 0.995; 95% confidence interval, 0.990-1.000 [P = .044]) and higher surgeon volume (hazards ratio, 0.984; 95% confidence interval, 0.975-0.994 [P = .002]) were found to be significantly associated with improved OS. Excluding post-operative deaths did not alter the results. Further analyses revealed that the benefit of high volume was attained by receiving care from either high-volume hospitals or high-volume surgeons.

CONCLUSIONS

High-volume providers were associated with improved long-term mortality rates compared with low-volume providers. This finding was independent of the effect of volume on perioperative mortality, suggesting that provider volume effects continue to manifest long after surgery.

Internações no sistema de serviços hospitalares, SUS e não SUS: Brasil, 2006

O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever as admissões, SUS e não SUS, no Sistema de Serviços Hospitalares no Brasil no ano de 2006, adotando o indivíduo internado como unidade de análise. As fontes dos dados foram o Sistema de Informação Hospitalar (SIH/SUS) e de Comunicação de Internação Hospitalar (CIH) referentes a 2006 e 2007. A identificação do indivíduo foi feita pelo método probabilístico de associações de registros (linkage) e para a composição dos dados da internação aplicaram-se algoritmos de composição nos registros de cobranças e de comunicações das internações. Foram analisadas 12.391.990 internações com ao menos um dia de duração no ano de 2006. A natureza do método probabilístico que encerra certo grau de imprecisão, a adoção de parâmetros conservadores a fim de evitar a inclusão de falsos positivos, tanto quanto a subnotificação da CIH representam as possíveis limitações do estudo. O Sistema de Serviços Hospitalares no Brasil apresentou taxa de hospitalização de 5,6%, sendo 5,0% SUS e 1,6% não SUS, diferenciando-se segundo Unidade da Federação de ocorrência. Os dados das internações não financiadas pelo SUS coletados pela CIH agregam informações importantes para a análise da assistência hospitalar no país. Os dados administrativos do SUS são válidos para análises de internações e os algoritmos de composição dos dados de internação, a partir da cobrança, aprimoram a análise do Sistema de Serviços Hospitalares no Brasil.

Systematic review of the impact of volume of oesophagectomy on patient outcome

PURPOSE

This systematic review aims to assess whether overall survival, mortality, morbidity, length of stay and cost of performing oesophagectomy are related to surgical volume.

METHODS

A systematic search strategy from 1997 until December 2006 was used to retrieve relevant studies. Inclusion of articles was established through application of a predetermined protocol, independent assessment by two reviewers and a final consensus decision.

RESULTS

A total of 55 studies were identified of which 27 studies, representing 68 882 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-one of these solely examined hospital volume, 5 examined both hospital and surgeon volume, and 1 examined surgeon volume in isolation. All but one of the studies were retrospective in nature, and because of the heterogeneity of the literature, no meta-analysis could be performed. Of the studies exploring the relationship between hospital volume and mortality, 20 reported a statistically significant benefit to large volume centres. Five of six included studies showed significant evidence for a reduced mortality risk with greater surgeon volume.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the evidence from these retrospective studies, oesophagectomy performed in high volume centres would appear to be associated with better outcome compared with low volume centres.

[Quality criteria for treatment of colorectal cancer. From a surgeon's viewpoint]

The surgeon is the key "prognosis factor" for colorectal cancer. For this reason quality criteria were recently established (including minimum numbers) in order to treat patients who are entitled to the best quality of care and to improve the prognosis. The aim of this study was to critically discuss the existing demands on the surgeon based on the current literature and our own results and to formulate evidence-based quality criteria for surgical clinics. After reviewing the current literature criteria were compiled, discussed and finally presented in a summarized form. These are based on current developments on the diagnostic and therapy of large intestine and colorectal carcinoma. New developments of the German Cancer Society for planning of organ centers are incorporated. The quintessence of our study is that the number of cases alone is not decisive for the success of therapy. Important are the application of the correct surgical-oncology operation procedure, adherence to standards and the training of surgeons. Following the S3 guidelines stage-oriented therapy should additionally be carried out in a structured sequence. This includes an interdisciplinary decision making on the diagnostic and therapy strategy (tumor board). The organization structure of the hospital (teams, tumor board, emergency care with intensive care unit, emergency diagnostic and options for interventional measures) can be more important than the hospital case numbers alone. These demands which have been evaluated from published data and own results are designed to raise the therapy of colorectal cancer to the best possible level of quality and to effect a further improvement in the prognosis.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy: volume is not associated with outcome within an academic health care system

Hypothesis. Smaller and lower-volume hospitals can attain surgical outcomes similar to high-volume centers if they incorporate the expertise and health care pathways of high-volume centers. Setting. The academic tertiary care center, Moffit-Long Hospital (ML); the community-based Mount Zion Hospital (ZION); the San Francisco County General Hospital (SFGH); and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of San Francisco (VAMC). Patients. 369 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy between October 1989 and June 2003 at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) affiliated hospitals. Interventions. Pancreaticoduodenectomy. Design. Retrospective chart review. To correct for the potentially confounding effect of small case volumes and event rates, data for SFGH, VAMC, and ZION was combined (Small Volume Hospital Group; SVHG) and compared against data for ML. Main Outcome Measures. Complication rates; three-year and five-year survival rates. Results. The average patient age and health, as determined by ASA score, were similar between ML and the SVHG. The postoperative complication rate did not differ significantly between ML and the SVGH (58.8% versus 63.1%). Patients that experienced a complication averaged 2.5 complications in both groups. The perioperative mortality rate was 4% for patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy at either ML or the SVGH. Although the 3-year survival rate for patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas was nearly twice as high at ML (31.2% versus 18.3% at SVHG), there was no significant difference in the 5-year survival rates (19% at ML versus 18.3% at SVHG). Conclusions. Low-volume hospitals can achieve similar outcomes to high-volume tertiary care centers provided they import the expertise and care pathways necessary for improved results.

[Demand and supply of otolaryngology specialists based on evidence: What is the required number of specialists who should be trained?]

Several concurrent circumstances have created an impression through the media of a presumed lack of specialists in Spain, which has one of the highest densities of doctors per population in the world: simultaneous creation of jobs in many newly built hospitals; accepting garbage contracts (for months, half/thirds of days, shifts) in relevant hospitals rather than moving to unattractive positions; full dedication to the field of public or private healthcare rather than matching them; bad public healthcare working conditions (low wages, excessive healthcare pressure, lack of respect from the public and from healthcare managers, shifts, scarce professional promotion, difficult family reunification); decreased mobility due to insulation of the markets as a result of decentralization of healthcare by regions. There is no shortage of specialists in otolaryngology, but instead there are sporadic inequalities in their geographical distribution. The current number of positions as training doctors offered annually is higher at the moment than the demand of the Spanish society, for specialists who have adapted smoothly to the requirements of the new medical practice: clinical management, care quality, technology-based efficiency, evidence-based medicine. The modification of working conditions through higher flexibility in the working models and an increase of salaries based on activity and quality will show that the otolaryngology workforce which is generated with the current offer can assume the present and future demand. A high quality of specialized otolaryngology training is the substrate to be improved, so that future otolaryngology specialists will be able to face health challenges without unduly increasing their number.

In-hospital mortality after stomach cancer surgery in Spain and relationship with hospital volume of interventions

BACKGROUND

There is no consensus about the possible relation between in-hospital mortality in surgery for gastric cancer and the hospital annual volume of interventions. The objectives were to identify factors associated to greater in-hospital mortality for surgery in gastric cancer and to analyze the possible independent relation between hospital annual volume and in-hospital mortality.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients discharged after surgery for stomach cancer during 2001-2002 in four regions of Spain using the Minimum Basic Data Set for Hospital Discharges. The overall and specific in-hospital mortality rates were estimated according to patient and hospital characteristics. We adjusted a logistic regression model in order to calculate the in-hospital mortality according to hospital volume.

RESULTS

There were 3241 discharges in 144 hospitals. In-hospital mortality was 10.3% (95% CI 9.3-11.4). A statistically significant relation was observed among age, type of admission, volume, and mortality, as well as diverse secondary diagnoses or the type of intervention. Hospital annual volume was associated to Charlson score, type of admission, region, length of stay and number of secondary diagnoses registered at discharge. In the adjusted model, increased age and urgent admission were associated to increased in-hospital mortality. Likewise, partial gastrectomy (Billroth I and II) and simple excision of lymphatic structure were associated with a lower probability of in-hospital mortality. No independent association was found between hospital volume and in-hospital mortality

CONCLUSION

Despite the limitations of our study, our results corroborate the existence of patient, clinical, and intervention factors associated to greater hospital mortality, although we found no clear association between the volume of cases treated at a centre and hospital mortality.

American College of Surgeons trauma centre designation and mechanical ventilation outcomes

OBJECTIVE

The association between hospital volume and outcomes following mechanical ventilation has been previously examined in diverse patient populations. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma has outlined criteria for trauma centre level designations with specific requirements for both specialty capabilities and hospital volume. Our objective is to determine the relationship between ACS centre designation and outcomes for trauma patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Trauma Databank (NTDB), identifying 13,933 adult (age>or=18) trauma patients receiving mechanical ventilation for greater than 48 h from 2000 to 2004 who were admitted to either an ACS Level I or Level II trauma centre. The primary endpoints examined were mortality, pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Univariate analysis defined differences between those patients admitted to ACS Level I and Level II facilities. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify if ACS level designation was an independent risk factor for the goal outcomes.

RESULTS

Patients admitted to a Level I facility and mechanically ventilated for greater than 48 h were more commonly greater than age 55 (71.3% vs. 67.9%, p<0.01), hypotensive (SBP<90) (16.1% vs. 12.8%, p<0.01), and likely to have sustained injury due to penetrating mechanism (11.1% vs. 5.1%, p<0.01). On univariate analysis, mortality and the incidence of pneumonia did not differ between the two groups. Level I admission was, however, less commonly associated with the development of ARDS (5.8% vs. 7.7%, p<0.01) and patients admitted to Level I facilities were significantly more likely to be discharged to home than Level II counterparts (29.7% vs. 22.9%, p<0.01). Logistic regression revealed that, while ACS Level designation was not a predictive factor for mortality or the development of pneumonia, admission to an ACS Level II facility was an independent predictor for the development of ARDS [p<0.01, odds ratio, 95% CI: 1.35 (1.18-1.59)].

CONCLUSION

For trauma patients requiring mechanical ventilation for >48 h, ACS trauma centre designation had no effect on overall mortality or the incidence of pneumonia. Compared to Level I counterparts, however, patients admitted to an ACS Level II facility were significantly more likely to develop ARDS following trauma. This finding needs further investigation in a large, prospective analysis.

The volume-outcomes effect in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery: hospital versus surgeon contributions and specificity of the relationship

BACKGROUND

Although the relationship between hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) procedure volume and outcomes is established, the relative importance of hospital and surgeon effects and the specificity of the volume-outcomes effect remain ill-defined. We sought to comprehensively characterize the hospital and surgeon volume-outcomes relationships in high-risk HPB surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

The 1998 to 2005 State Inpatient Databases for Florida, Maryland, and New York were used to identify patients undergoing complex HPB surgery and to quantify hospital and surgeon procedure volumes. The effects of hospital and surgeon procedure volumes on casemix-adjusted inpatient mortality were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models.

RESULTS

For hepatic resection, hospital procedure volume predicted mortality (high versus low volume, odds ratio [OR] 0.48, p=0.04), but surgeon volume did not (p=0.42). For pancreatic resection, in contrast, both hospital (OR 0.32, p < 0.001) and surgeon (OR 0.30, p < 0.001) procedure volume predicted mortality. The hospital volume effect for pancreatic resection was largely explained by surgeon volume. In both procedure groups, volume-outcomes effects were very specific. Only volumes of the primary procedure were predictive of mortality; volumes of related HPB procedures and overall HPB volume demonstrated no independent effect on mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In HPB surgery, the relative contributions of hospital versus surgeon volume vary according to the specific procedure in question. In addition, the association between hospital or surgeon volume and in-hospital mortality is very specific to the procedure in question. High-volume expertise in one area of HPB surgery does not translate into improved outcomes for related procedures. These data may have implications for quality assessment and improvement, patient referral, and HPB surgical training.

Neglected external validity in reports of randomized trials: the example of hip and knee osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate data reporting related to external validity from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODS

All RCTs assessing pharmacologic treatments and nonpharmacologic treatments for hip and knee OA indexed between January 2002 and December 2006 were selected. A sample of 120 articles were randomly selected: 30 each assessing pharmacologic treatments, surgery or technical interventions, rehabilitation, and nonimplantable devices.

RESULTS

The country was clearly reported in 25 (21%) reports, the setting described in 40 (33%) reports, and the number of centers in 54 (45%). Details about the centers (volume of care) were given in 24 (20%) reports. Rates were lower for surgical trials for the country (3%), the setting (3%), the number of centers (13%), and details about the centers (7%). The intervention was adequately described in all pharmacologic reports and in >80% of rehabilitation reports. The technical procedure was given in all surgical intervention trial reports, but the type of anesthesia was reported in 4 (13%), preoperative care in 2 (7%), and postoperative care in 15 (50%). The device was described in 93% of device trial reports, but the manufacturer was reported in only 33%.

CONCLUSION

There is low reporting of data related to external validity in reports of RCTs assessing pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments for hip and knee OA.

Population-based review of the outcomes following hepatic resection in a Canadian health region

BACKGROUND

Higher hospital and surgeon volumes have been associated with improved outcomes following hepatic resection; however, there appear to be additional factors that also play a role. The objective of our study was to examine the outcomes following hepatic resection over the past 13 years in a large urban Canadian health region.

METHODS

We used administrative procedure codes to identify all patients from 1991/92 to 2003/04 who underwent a hepatic resection in the Calgary health region, which has a referral base of about 1.5 million people. The primary outcome was operative mortality, defined as death before discharge.

RESULTS

There were 424 hepatic resections performed in the stated time period. Annual volume was stable until 2000, when it increased substantially. This corresponded to the formation of a multidisciplinary group that provided care to these patients. There were 25 deaths over the study period for a mean mortality of 5.9%. The mean length of stay in hospital was 14.6 (median 10) days. Over time, however, mortality steadily decreased. This corresponded to a concomitant increase in the volume of hepatic resections performed.

CONCLUSION

Over the past 13 years, the number of hepatic resections performed has increased; there has been a corresponding improvement in mortality rates. The improved rates are likely the result of multiple factors.

In hospital outcomes after pancreatectomies: an analysis of a national database from 1996 to 2004

INTRODUCTION

National complication rates following pancreatectomies have not been systematically reported.

METHODS

We queried the national hospital discharge survey (NHDS) database to analyze risk factors associated with mortality and length of stay after pancreatectomies.

RESULTS

An estimated 49,346 pancreatectomies were performed from 1996 to 2004. The national mortality rate is 9% with an average length of stay 15 days (Interquartile range 10-23) while the morbidity is 35%. Size of the hospital (<300 beds) (OR 2.76 (95% CI 1.14-6.70, P = 0.02)), post-operative pulmonary edema (OR 2.80 (95% CI 1.28-6.12, P = 0.01)) and sepsis (OR 5.22 (95% CI 1.94-14.11, P = 0.001)) are associated with higher mortality. Patients in larger hospitals (>500 beds) (Rate ratio 0.87 (95% CI 0.83-0.91, P < 0.001)) had a shorter hospital stay. Temporal trends reveal a shorter hospital length of stay in 2004 (Rate ratio 0.86 (95% CI 0.78-0.94, P = 0.001)) as compared to 1996. The percentage of pancreatectomies performed at larger hospitals in 1996 (40%) and 2004 (41%) has remained constant.

CONCLUSION

The national mortality and morbidity rates after pancreaticoduodenectomy are 9% and 35%, respectively. Larger hospital size and absence of pulmonary edema and sepsis improves mortality. Larger hospitals have better outcomes although the trend for regionalization is not apparent.

Are there regional differences in gynecologic cancer outcomes in the context of a single-payer, publicly-funded health care system? A population-based study

BACKGROUND

Canada has a single-payer, publicly-funded health care system that provides comprehensive health care, and therefore significant disparities in health outcomes are not expected in our population. The objective of this study was to determine if differences exist in endometrial cancer outcomes across regions in Ontario.

METHODS

This was a population-based study of all endometrial (uterine) cancer cases diagnosed from 1996 to 2000 in Ontario and linked to various administrative databases. Univariate analyses examined trends in demographics (age, income, co-morbidities), treatment (surgical staging and adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy), and pathology (grade, histology, stage) across 14 geographic regions defined by local health integration networks (LHINs) in Ontario. Primary outcome was 5-year overall survival among LHINs, which were compared in a multilevel Cox regression model to account for clustering of patient data at the hospital level.

RESULTS

There were 3,875 evaluable cases with complete information on demographics, treatment, pathology, and outcomes. There was significant variation in patient demographics, treatment, and pathology across the 14 LHINs. Low income level and surgery at a low-volume, community hospital without gynecologic oncologists were not associated with a higher risk of death. There was a trend towards clustering of patients within hospitals. After adjustment for covariates, there was no significant difference in survival across LHINs.

CONCLUSIONS

In the context of a single-payer, publicly-funded health care system, we did not find significant regional differences in endometrial cancer outcomes.

Frequency with which surgeons undertake pancreaticoduodenectomy continues to determine length of stay, hospital charges, and in-hospital mortality

INTRODUCTION

This study was undertaken to determine changes in the frequency of, volume of, and outcomes after pancreaticoduodenectomy 6 years after a study denoted that, in Florida, the frequency and volume of pancreaticoduodenectomy impacted outcome.

METHODS

Using the State of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration database, the frequency and volume of pancreaticoduodenectomy was correlated with average length of hospital stay (ALOS), in-hospital mortality, and hospital charges for identical periods in 1995-1997 and 2003-2005.

RESULTS

Compared to 1995-1997, 88% more pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in 2003-2005 by 6% fewer surgeons; the majority of pancreaticoduodenectomies were conducted by surgeons doing <1 pancreaticoduodenectomy every 2 months. In-hospital mortality rate did not decrease from 1995-1997 to 2003-2005 (5.1 to 5.9%); in-hospital mortality rate increased for surgeons undertaking <1 pancreaticoduodenectomy every 2 months (5.5 to 12.3%, p<0.01). For 2003-2005, frequency with which pancreaticoduodenectomy is conducted inversely correlates with ALOS (p=0.001), hospital charges (p=0.001), and in-hospital mortality (p=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In Florida, more pancreaticoduodenectomies are carried out by fewer surgeons. Mortality has not decreased because of surgeons infrequently performing pancreaticoduodenectomy. Most pancreaticoduodenectomies are still undertaken by surgeons who conduct pancreaticoduodenectomy infrequently with greater lengths of stay, hospital costs, and in-hospital mortality rates. To an even greater extent than previously documented, patients are best served by surgeons frequently performing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Colorectal cancer care knowledge mapping: identifying priorities for knowledge translation research

OBJECTIVE

We do not know the extent and nature of knowledge translation (KT) in oncology. This study examined colorectal cancer (CRC) health services research, and engaged researchers and decision makers in prioritizing KT research gaps.

METHODS

MEDLINE was searched from 1996 to 2006 for CRC health services research in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States. Studies were tabulated by indicator, type of research and country to reveal gaps. Researchers and decision makers prioritized gaps via questionnaire, then generated research questions for top-ranked gaps at a one-day workshop.

RESULTS

A total of 132 articles were categorized and 29 individuals attended the workshop. We lack knowledge about factors influencing rates of many indicators. Researchers and decision makers prioritized KT research on factors that could either influence the utilization of screening or enhance the quality of surgical outcomes. They acknowledged lack of research capacity and policy support as barriers, and confusion about the concept of KT.

CONCLUSIONS

Several opportunities were revealed for improving the quality of CRC screening and surgery. Greater coordination of, and support for KT research is required to address these gaps. Further research should evaluate different methods of achieving KT between researchers and decision makers for research planning.

Defining the volume-quality debate: is it the surgeon, the center, or the training?

The quality movement in health care is ubiquitous in our society. The volume-quality debate is a central component of this that affects surgeons. In colorectal surgery and other fields, studies have demonstrated improved outcomes for patients having care provided at higher volume centers. What is unclear about this relationship however, is whether this improvement is related to the center, the surgeon, or the surgeon's training and experience. Some studies have tried to better examine this relationship and have suggested that limitations in administrative data may exaggerate the impact of a high-volume center. The use of crude mortality as the primary outcome instead of more specific outcomes such as cancer recurrence, inadequate risk data, and the failure to account for clustering of cases are other important limitations. Although higher volume likely equates to higher quality in some form, this may be more related to surgeon-specific factors rather than high-volume centers alone. The role of subspecialization, especially colorectal-trained surgeons with a high individual case volume may be the most important predictor of higher quality in colorectal surgery. This relationship may be especially important for the treatment of rectal cancer. The relationship of volume to outcomes is difficult to understand, and to appropriately answer these questions will require the collection and analysis of comprehensive, risk-adjusted data after adequate outcome measures are defined. This will only occur with significant institutional support, and a commitment to follow outcomes longitudinally and implement necessary changes to improve outcomes.

Ethnic/Racial Disparities in Hospital Procedure Volume for Lung Resection for Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Ethnic/racial minorities experience poorer outcomes from lung cancer than non-Hispanic whites. Higher hospital procedure volume is associated with better survival from lung resection for lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES

We examined whether (1) ethnic/racial minorities are more likely to obtain lung resections at lower volume hospitals, (2) ethnicity/race is associated with inpatient mortality, (3) hospital volume mediates this association, and (4) hospital selection is mediated by racial/ethnic segregation, differences in insurance coverage, or limited hospital choice.

METHODS

Six years of data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS 1998-2003, unweighted n = 50,245, weighted n = 129,506) were used in multivariate models controlling for sociodemographic factors, case complexity, and hospital characteristics. Additional analyses were conducted using the Area Resource File, which provided data on ethnic density and number of surgical hospitals in the hospital region.

RESULTS

Blacks/African Americans (odds ratio [OR] = 0.45; 0.34-0.58) and Latinos (OR = 0.44; 0.32-0.63) had lower odds of obtaining lung resection at a high-volume hospital than non-Hispanic whites. Blacks/African Americans (OR = 1.30; 1.01-1.67), Latinos (OR = 1.41; 1.02-1.94), and other racial/ethnic minorities (OR = 1.46; 1.04-2.06) also had higher odds of dying in hospital, but this association was statistically nonsignificant after controlling for hospital volume. Hospital location was not associated with lung resection procedure volume, nor did location mediate the association between ethnicity/race and hospital volume.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethnic/racial minorities are obtaining lung resection in lower volume hospitals and are more likely to die in hospital. Hospital volume is associated with higher mortality, but health insurance, segregation, and number of surgical hospitals within a county do not account for observed disparities.