Experience Counts in Surgery
November 12, 2001
A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that 4,000 people die because they have surgery in hospitals lacking the appropriate amount of experience. Researchers reviewed records from 1983 to 1998 and compared surgical volume in hospitals to their rates of death. The report found that the less experienced hospitals, whose staff and doctors see fewer complicated surgeries each year, have much higher incidences of complications and death.
The study highlighted California where as many as 400 people may have lived if they had their surgical procedures performed in a hospital with more experienced doctors and nurses. Often such highly acclaimed facilities exist only short distances from the less experienced ones.
The study was performed in an effort to reduce the almost 100,000 deaths that occur each year due to medical mistakes and malpractice. Researchers examined the failure rates for 10 common yet complicated types of surgical procedures. "For certain procedures and diagnoses, patients have lower mortality rates at high-volume hospitals than at low-volume hospitals," says the study, led by Adams Dudley of the University of California at San Francisco.
Many smaller hospitals dispute the findings; however, the study's leaders cite jealousy for the smaller facilities' criticism of the study results. "You're dealing with two major obstacles: money and pride," says John Birkmeyer, a Dartmouth surgeon. Unfortunately, many patients are either unaware that hospital experience matters or are simply unable to afford treatment at experienced hospital facilities.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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