Surgery Volume and Operative Mortality in the United States

Abstract

The authors conducted a study to determine the relative importance of the experience of the operating surgeon in rates of mortality within 30 days of a procedure. They searched the Medicare claims database for 1998 through 1999 for mortality among 474,108 patients who underwent one of eight cardiovascular procedures or cancer resections. Factors examined were the relations between hospital volume, operative mortality, and surgeon volume. The authors concluded that the well-established relation between hospital volume and surgical mortality is largely mediated by surgeon volume. A patient's chances of surviving a surgical procedure improve if the patient selects a surgeon who frequently performs the operation, even at a high-volume hospital.