Key result
Public reporting of individual cardiac surgeon mortality outcomes can lead to risk-averse behavior, with up to 62% of surgeons admitting to refusing to operate on high-risk patients to protect their statistics.
Design
Other
Authors
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May deter high-risk case acceptance; leaves open net effects of reporting on outcomes and access.
This document is a collection of letters to the editor discussing various medical topics, including ranking heart surgeons, influenza treatments, altitude sickness, and smoke-free hospitals.
Ian Gilfillan (2003) conducted a letter in Cardiac surgery. Public reporting of surgical mortality was evaluated. Public reporting of individual cardiac surgeon mortality outcomes can lead to risk-averse behavior, with up to 62% of surgeons admitting to refusing to operate on high-risk patients to protect their statistics.
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