Abstract
Purpose: The effects of regionalization of tertiary care were studied by analyzing cost and outcome for pancreaticoduodenectomies in a state in which the majority of these high-risk procedures were performed in one hospital. Methods: Using Maryland inpatient discharge data via a retrospective study, the authors compared cost and outcome data for a hospital with more than one half of the cases in the state to all other hospital providers as a group and with smaller groupings according to the volume of procedures performed. Results: Hospital mortality, length of stay, and costs were significantly less at the high-volume regional medical center when compared with all other hospitals. Mortality and cost increased as volume decreased when hospitals were grouped according to volume. Conclusions: An academic medical center, functioning as a high-volume regional provider, can deliver tertiary care services with improved outcomes at lower costs than community hospitals.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 43-49 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Annals of surgery |
Volume | 221 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1995 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery