Travel distance and regional access to cardiac valve surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Evidence in other surgical subspecialties suggests patients traveling farther to undergo surgery have worse outcomes. We sought to determine the impact of travel distance and travel beyond closest center on outcomes after valve surgery.

Methods

Patients who underwent valve surgery ±CABG with a Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) predicted risk and zip code were extracted from a statewide STS database (2011-016). Patients were stratified by those receiving care greater than or equal to 20 miles from the closest surgical center (Traveler) or at the closest center (Non-Traveler). Multivariate logistic regression assessed the effects of travel distance and traveler status on mortality and major morbidity adjusted for STS predicted risk, median income by zip code, and pa

SUBMITTER: Hawkins RB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6776674 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature