OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of total thyroidectomies per surgeon per year associated with the lowest risk of complications. BACKGROUND: The surgeon volume-outcome association has been established for thyroidectomy; however, a threshold number of cases defining a "high-volume" surgeon remains unclear. METHODS: Adults undergoing total thyroidectomy were identified from the Health Care Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample (1998-2009). Multivariate logistic regression with restricted cubic splines was utilized to examine the association between the number of annual total thyroidectomies per surgeon and risk of complications. RESULTS: Among 16,954 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy, 47% had thyroid cancer and 53% benign disease. Median annual surgeon volume was 7 cases; 51% of surgeons performed 1 case/y. Overall, 6% of the patients experienced complications. After adjustment, the likelihood of experiencing a complication decreased with increasing surgeon volume up to 26 cases/y (P < 0.01). Among all patients, 81% had surgery by low-volume surgeons (≤25 cases/y). With adjustment, patients undergoing surgery by low-volume surgeons were more likely to experience complications (odds ratio 1.51, P = 0.002) and longer hospital stays (+12%, P = 0.006). Patients had an 87% increase in the odds of having a complication if the surgeon performed 1 case/y, 68% for 2 to 5 cases/y, 42% for 6 to 10 cases/y, 22% for 11 to 15 cases/y, 10% for 16 to 20 cases/y, and 3% for 21 to 25 cases/y. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to identify a surgeon volume threshold (>25 total thyroidectomies/y) that is associated with improved patient outcomes. Identifying a threshold number of cases defining a high-volume thyroid surgeon is important, as it has implications for quality improvement, criteria for referral and reimbursement, and surgical education.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of total thyroidectomies per surgeon per year associated with the lowest risk of complications. BACKGROUND: The surgeon volume-outcome association has been established for thyroidectomy; however, a threshold number of cases defining a "high-volume" surgeon remains unclear. METHODS: Adults undergoing total thyroidectomy were identified from the Health Care Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample (1998-2009). Multivariate logistic regression with restricted cubic splines was utilized to examine the association between the number of annual total thyroidectomies per surgeon and risk of complications. RESULTS: Among 16,954 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy, 47% had thyroid cancer and 53% benign disease. Median annual surgeon volume was 7 cases; 51% of surgeons performed 1 case/y. Overall, 6% of the patients experienced complications. After adjustment, the likelihood of experiencing a complication decreased with increasing surgeon volume up to 26 cases/y (P < 0.01). Among all patients, 81% had surgery by low-volume surgeons (≤25 cases/y). With adjustment, patients undergoing surgery by low-volume surgeons were more likely to experience complications (odds ratio 1.51, P = 0.002) and longer hospital stays (+12%, P = 0.006). Patients had an 87% increase in the odds of having a complication if the surgeon performed 1 case/y, 68% for 2 to 5 cases/y, 42% for 6 to 10 cases/y, 22% for 11 to 15 cases/y, 10% for 16 to 20 cases/y, and 3% for 21 to 25 cases/y. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to identify a surgeon volume threshold (>25 total thyroidectomies/y) that is associated with improved patient outcomes. Identifying a threshold number of cases defining a high-volume thyroid surgeon is important, as it has implications for quality improvement, criteria for referral and reimbursement, and surgical education.
Authors: Jason D Wright; Yongmei Huang; Alexander Melamed; Ana I Tergas; Caryn M St Clair; June Y Hou; Fady Khoury-Collado; Cande V Ananth; Alfred I Neugut; Dawn L Hershman Journal: Obstet Gynecol Date: 2019-06 Impact factor: 7.661
Authors: Jason B Liu; Julie A Sosa; Raymon H Grogan; Yaoming Liu; Mark E Cohen; Clifford Y Ko; Bruce L Hall Journal: JAMA Surg Date: 2018-01-17 Impact factor: 14.766