Understanding the volume-outcome effect in cardiovascular surgery: the role of failure to rescue.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

To effectively guide interventions aimed at reducing mortality in low-volume hospitals, the underlying mechanisms of the volume-outcome relationship must be further explored. Reducing mortality after major postoperative complications may represent one point along the continuum of patient care that could significantly affect overall hospital mortality.

Objective

To determine whether increased mortality at low-volume hospitals performing cardiovascular surgery is a function of higher postoperative complication rates or of less successful rescue from complications.

Design, setting, and participants

We used patient-level data from 119434 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 to 99 years undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve repair, o

SUBMITTER: Gonzalez AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4016988 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature