National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 65 Research Studies DisplayedZamudio J, Woodward J, Kanji FF
Demands of surgical teams in robotic-assisted surgery: an assessment of intraoperative workload within different surgical specialties.
Existing approaches to evaluating workload in robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) focus on surgeons and lack real-world data. The purpose of this study was to understand how workload differs by role and specialty aids to identify effective ways to optimize workload. The researchers administered SURG-TLX surveys to surgical staff at three sites. 188 questionnaires were obtained across 90 RAS procedures. Significantly higher aggregate scores were reported for gynecology and urology than for general. Surgeons reported significantly higher scores for task complexity than both technicians and nurses.
AHRQ-funded; HS026491.
Citation: Zamudio J, Woodward J, Kanji FF .
Demands of surgical teams in robotic-assisted surgery: an assessment of intraoperative workload within different surgical specialties.
Am J Surg 2023 Sep; 6(3):365-70. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.06.010..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician
Wurcel AG, Zubiago J, Reyes J
Surgeons' perspectives on valve surgery in people with drug use-associated infective endocarditis.
Hospitalizations for drug-use associated infective endocarditis (DUA-IE) have contributed to increasing surgical consultations for valve replacement. Little is known about cardiothoracic surgeons' perspectives on the decision-making process around operations for people with DUA-IE. The purpose of this semiqualitative, multisite study was to collect the perspectives of cardiothoracic surgeons on initial and repeat valve surgery for people with DUA-IE. The researchers conducted purposeful sampling of surgeons at 7 hospitals: University of Alabama, Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Rhode Island Hospital-Brown University, Tufts Medical Center, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Nineteen cardiothoracic surgeons (53% acceptance) were interviewed. The study found that perceptions of the drivers of addiction varied as did the approaches to repeat valve operations. There were mixed perspectives on multidisciplinary meetings, although many surgeons indicated interest in more efficient meetings and more intensive postoperative and posthospitalization multidisciplinary care.
AHRQ-funded; HS026008.
Citation: Wurcel AG, Zubiago J, Reyes J .
Surgeons' perspectives on valve surgery in people with drug use-associated infective endocarditis.
Ann Thorac Surg 2023 Sep; 116(3):492-98. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2021.12.068..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician, Substance Abuse
Bamdad MC, Vitous CA, Rivard SJ
What we talk about when we talk about coping: a qualitative study of surgery resident's coping after complications and deaths.
The purpose of this study was to examine how surgery residents cope with negative patient outcomes including complications and death. There has been a dearth of scholarly work examining surgery resident coping strategies. The researchers included 28 mid-level and senior residents from 14 academic, community, and hybrid training programs across the United States to participate in interviews. The study found that residents described both internal and external strategies for how they cope with complications and deaths. Internal strategies included compartmentalization of emotions or experiences, thoughts of forgiveness, a sense of inevitability, and beliefs surrounding resilience. External strategies included support from colleagues and mentors, personal practices or rituals, such as exercise or psychotherapy, and commitment to change.
AHRQ-funded; HS000053; HS026772.
Citation: Bamdad MC, Vitous CA, Rivard SJ .
What we talk about when we talk about coping: a qualitative study of surgery resident's coping after complications and deaths.
Ann Surg 2023 Aug 1; 278(2):e422-e28. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005854..
Keywords: Provider: Physician, Surgery, Mortality
Hu FY, Tabata-Kelly M, Johnston FM
Surgeon-reported factors influencing adoption of quality standards for goal-concordant care in patients with advanced cancer: a qualitative study.
This study’s objective was to explore surgical oncologists' perspectives on factors influencing adoption of quality standards in patients with advanced cancer. While the American College of Surgeons has adopted a Geriatric Surgery Verification Program that includes communication standards designed to facilitate goal-concordant care, little is known about how surgeons believe these standards align with clinical practice. The authors conducted semistructured video-based interviews from November 2020 to January 2021 with academic surgical oncologists purposively sampled based on demographics, region, palliative care certification, and years in practice. These interviews addressed: (1) adherence to standards documenting care preferences for life-sustaining treatment, surrogate decision-maker, and goals of surgery; and (2) factors influencing their adoption into practice. Participants included 26 surgeons (57.7% male, 8.5 mean years in practice, 19.2% palliative care board-certified). While goals of surgery are commonly discussed, there is low consistency of documenting these goals. There were conflicting views about the relevance of care preferences to preoperative conversations and surrogate decision-maker documentation by the surgeon and questioned the direct connection between documentation of quality standards and higher value patient care. Key themes in adopting quality standards of documentation included organizational culture, workflow, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
AHRQ-funded; HS024736.
Citation: Hu FY, Tabata-Kelly M, Johnston FM .
Surgeon-reported factors influencing adoption of quality standards for goal-concordant care in patients with advanced cancer: a qualitative study.
Ann Surg 2023 May; 277(5):e1000-e05. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005441..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician, Cancer
Bamdad MC, Vitous CA, Rivard SJ
"You remember those days"-a qualitative study of resident surgeon responses to complications and deaths.
This qualitative study examined the impact of complications and deaths on surgery residents to facilitate development of improved support systems. Twenty-eight mid-level and senior residents (PGY3 and above) from 14 different training programs across the US were given semi-structured interviews. The interviewees described an initial emotional response of sadness, frustration, or grief. Simultaneously or soon after went through an examination period where they looked at how and why the outcome occurred with the goal of learning from it. The last phase was having a feeling of ownership, which was strengthened by involved in patient care and length of rotation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026772.
Citation: Bamdad MC, Vitous CA, Rivard SJ .
"You remember those days"-a qualitative study of resident surgeon responses to complications and deaths.
J Surg Educ 2022 Mar-Apr; 79(2):452-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2021.09.011..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician, Adverse Events, Mortality
Varady NH, Worsham CM, Chen AF
Inappropriate prescribing of opioids for patients undergoing surgery.
This study examined inappropriate prescribing of opioids for patients undergoing surgery, in this instance prescribing them to a patient’s spouse. Among 450,125 opioid-naïve couples with commercial insurance studied, for patients who did not fill perioperative opioid prescriptions themselves, the rate of spousal fills on the day of surgery (DOS) was 2.39 fills per 1,000 surgeries compared with 0.44 fills on all other perioperative days. Increases in spousal fills were not present for patients that filled opioid prescriptions themselves.
AHRQ-funded; HS026753.
Citation: Varady NH, Worsham CM, Chen AF .
Inappropriate prescribing of opioids for patients undergoing surgery.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022 Dec 6;119(49):e2210226119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2210226119..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Surgery, Practice Patterns, Provider: Physician
Khouja T, Polk DE, Suda KJ
Opioid prescribing by oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States, 2016-2019.
The objective of this study was to describe opioid prescribing trends among oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFS). The IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Dataset, 2016-2019, was used to identify prescriptions written by OMFS. The results indicated that while OMFS-prescribed hydrocodone and oxycodone decreased in most states, 12 percent of states showed increases. Tramadol and codeine prescriptions also increased. From these findings, the authors concluded that targeted interventions are warranted in some areas.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Khouja T, Polk DE, Suda KJ .
Opioid prescribing by oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States, 2016-2019.
J Public Health Dent 2022 Sep;82(4):491-94. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12544..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns, Orthopedics, Surgery, Dental and Oral Health, Provider: Physician
Kanters AE, Evilsizer SK, Regenbogen SE
Correlation of colorectal surgical skill with patient outcomes: a cautionary tale.
Some have proposed that video-based skill assessments be used as a way to measure technical skills, quality improvement, and credentialing in colorectal surgeons and other practitioners. However, it must first be determined whether video-based assessments can accurately predict patient outcomes. The researchers assembled a panel of 10 peer surgeons to evaluate videos of minimally invasive colectomy procedures submitted by 21 surgeons. Each surgeon submitted one video, and the videos were edited to highlight key steps in the procedure. The panel and the surgeon participants were all associated with the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative. The panel used a validated American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons assessment instrument to rate the surgeon’s skills. The surgeon’s ratings were then linked to a validated registry of surgical outcomes, and the researchers assessed the relationship between skill level and risk-adjusted complication rates. The researchers found that after risk-adjustment there was no statistically significant difference in complication rates between the bottom (17.5%) and top (16.8%) quartile surgeons (p=0.41). The study concluded that there was no correlation between video-based peer rating of minimally invasive colectomy and postoperative complications among specialty surgeons, and that caution should be used when utilizing video review in credentialing.
AHRQ-funded; HS025365.
Citation: Kanters AE, Evilsizer SK, Regenbogen SE .
Correlation of colorectal surgical skill with patient outcomes: a cautionary tale.
Dis Colon Rectum 2022 Mar;65(3):444-51. doi: 10.1097/dcr.0000000000002124..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician, Provider Performance, Digestive Disease and Health, Outcomes
Heiderscheit EA, Schlick CJR, Ellis RJ
Experiences of LGBTQ+ residents in US general surgery training programs.
The purpose of this study was to determine the national prevalence of mistreatment and poor well-being for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) surgery residents compared with their non-LGBTQ+ peers. A voluntary, anonymous survey was conducted for clinically active general surgery residents training in accredited general surgery programs following their American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination. Findings showed that mistreatment was a common experience for LGBTQ+ surgery residents, with attending surgeons being the most common overall source. Increased suicidality among LGBTQ+ surgery residents was associated with this mistreatment. Recommendations included multifaceted interventions to develop safer and more inclusive learning environments.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078.
Citation: Heiderscheit EA, Schlick CJR, Ellis RJ .
Experiences of LGBTQ+ residents in US general surgery training programs.
JAMA Surg 2022 Jan;157(1):23-32. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.5246..
Keywords: Provider: Physician, Surgery, Training, Education: Continuing Medical Education
Thelen AE, Kendrick DE, Chen X
Novel method to link surgical trainee performance data to patient outcomes.
A significant roadblock in surgical education research has been the inability to compare trainee performance to the outcomes of those surgeons after they enter independent practice. In this study, the investigators described the feasibility of an innovative method to link trainee performance data with patient outcomes. They indicated that this innovation could enable future research investigating the relationship between surgical trainee performance and patient outcomes in independent practice.
AHRQ-funded; HS027653.
Citation: Thelen AE, Kendrick DE, Chen X .
Novel method to link surgical trainee performance data to patient outcomes.
Am J Surg 2021 Dec;222(6):1072-78. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.10.018..
Keywords: Surgery, Education: Continuing Medical Education, Provider Performance, Provider: Physician, Outcomes
Hewitt DB, Chung JW, Ellis RJ
National evaluation of surgical resident grit and the association with wellness outcomes.
Investigators sought to characterize grit among US general surgery residents and to examine the association between resident grit and wellness outcomes. Grit was measured using the 8-item Short Grit Scale. They found that, in this national survey evaluation, higher grit scores were associated with a lower likelihood of burnout, thoughts of attrition, and suicidal thoughts among general surgery residents. They concluded that grit is likely not an effective screening instrument to select residents; instead, they recommended that institutions ensure an organizational culture that promotes and supports trainees across this elevated range of grit scores.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078.
Citation: Hewitt DB, Chung JW, Ellis RJ .
National evaluation of surgical resident grit and the association with wellness outcomes.
JAMA Surg 2021 Sep;156(9):856-63. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.2378.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078..
AHRQ-funded; HS000078..
Keywords: Provider: Physician, Surgery, Burnout
Delaney LD, Kattapuram M, Haidar JA
The impact of surgeon adherence to preoperative optimization of hernia repairs.
This study looked at the ways that surgeon-level adherence to preoperative optimization impacts postoperative outcomes. A cohort of patients receiving hernia repair surgery were studied using data from the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative from 2014 to 2018. Adherence to preoperative optimization was defined as operating on patients who were nontobacco users with a body mass index of >18.5 kg/m2 and <40 kg/m2. Risk- and reliability-adjusted adherence rates were used to divide surgeons into tertiles. Across 70 Michigan hospitals, 15,016 patients underwent ventral and incisional hernia repair, cared for by 454 surgeons. Preoperative optimization rates ranged from 51% to 76%. Surgeons in the lowest tertile had higher rates of emergency department visits and serious complications versus any complication than middle and high optimization tertiles.
AHRQ-funded; HS025778.
Citation: Delaney LD, Kattapuram M, Haidar JA .
The impact of surgeon adherence to preoperative optimization of hernia repairs.
J Surg Res 2021 Aug;264:8-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.01.044..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician, Provider, Outcomes
Ellis RJ, Nicolas JD, Cheung E
Comprehensive characterization of the general surgery residency learning environment and the association with resident burnout.
Researchers sought to characterize the learning environment and to evaluate associations with burnout using a cross-sectional survey administered to all U.S. general surgery residents. They found that the overall burnout rate was 43.0%, and residents were more likely to report burnout if they also identified problems with residency workload, efficiency, social support, organizational culture, meaning in work, or experienced workplace mistreatment. They recommended efforts to help programs identify and address weaknesses in a targeted fashion in order to improve trainee burnout.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078.
Citation: Ellis RJ, Nicolas JD, Cheung E .
Comprehensive characterization of the general surgery residency learning environment and the association with resident burnout.
Ann Surg 2021 Jul 1;274(1):6-11. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000004796..
Keywords: Burnout, Surgery, Stress, Provider: Physician
Rosko AJ, Gay BL, Reyes-Gastelum D
Surgeons' attitudes on total thyroidectomy vs lobectomy for management of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.
The incidence of papillary thyroid cancer has increased in the past 25 years without a clear increase in thyroid cancer deaths. Given these findings, there has been a shift toward recommending conservative surgical options, with current management guidelines favoring lobectomy, especially for patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. The aim of this study was to identify surgeons’ attitudes regarding surgical management of microcarcinomas with the hypothesis that surgeons consider other factors, in addition to tumor size, when selecting a surgical procedure.
AHRQ-funded; HS024512.
Citation: Rosko AJ, Gay BL, Reyes-Gastelum D .
Surgeons' attitudes on total thyroidectomy vs lobectomy for management of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2021 Jul;147(7):667-69. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2021.0525..
Keywords: Cancer, Surgery, Practice Patterns, Provider: Physician
Greenberg CC, Byrnes ME, Engler TA
Association of a statewide surgical coaching program with clinical outcomes and surgeon perceptions.
Investigators assessed risk-adjusted outcomes and participant perceptions following a statewide coaching program for bariatric surgeons. They found that this surgical coaching program was perceived as valuable and surgeons reported numerous practice changes. Additionally, operative times improved, but there was no significant improvement in risk-adjusted outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023597.
Citation: Greenberg CC, Byrnes ME, Engler TA .
Association of a statewide surgical coaching program with clinical outcomes and surgeon perceptions.
Ann Surg 2021 Jun;273(6):1034-39. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000004800..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician, Provider Performance, Outcomes
Ehlers AP, Chhabra K, Thumma JR
In the eye of the beholder: surgeon variation in intra-operative perceptions of hiatal hernia and reflux outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy.
Researchers sought to determine whether intra-operative diagnosis of hiatal hernia varies among surgeons or if it affects outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. They found that surgeons who identified hiatal hernias during video review had a higher rate of concurrent hiatal hernia repairs in their practice. However, this identification was not associated with improved patient-reported reflux symptoms after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. They concluded that standardizing identification and management of hiatal hernias during bariatric surgery may help improve reflux outcomes post-operatively.
AHRQ-funded; HS023597.
Citation: Ehlers AP, Chhabra K, Thumma JR .
In the eye of the beholder: surgeon variation in intra-operative perceptions of hiatal hernia and reflux outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy.
Surg Endosc 2021 Jun;35(6):2537-42. doi: 10.1007/s00464-020-07668-4..
Keywords: Obesity, Surgery, Provider: Physician, Provider
Links AR, Callon W, Wasserman C
Treatment recommendations to parents during pediatric tonsillectomy consultations: a mixed methods analysis of surgeon language.
A deeper understanding of the dialogue clinicians use to relay treatment recommendations is needed to fully understand their influence on patient decisions about surgery. In this study, the authors characterize how otolaryngologists provide treatment recommendations and suggest a classification framework. The investigators concluded that clinicians provide treatment recommendations in a variety of ways that may introduce more or less certainty and choice to parental treatment decisions.
AHRQ-funded; HS022932.
Citation: Links AR, Callon W, Wasserman C .
Treatment recommendations to parents during pediatric tonsillectomy consultations: a mixed methods analysis of surgeon language.
Patient Educ Couns 2021 Jun;104(6):1371-79. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.11.015..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Surgery, Caregiving, Decision Making, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Provider: Physician, Provider
Vemulakonda VM, Kempe A A, Hamer MK
Physician perspectives on discussions with parents of infants with suspected ureteropelvic junction obstruction.
The purpose of this study was to understand pediatric urologists' perceived role of patient characteristics on discussions about treatment of infants with suspected UPJ obstruction. The investigators found that physicians recognized a gap in data to guide surgical decisions and utilized personal experience to augment this gap. Physicians also recognized the influence of educational and language barriers on discussions with families and considered risk of loss to follow up when making recommendations, suggesting an implicit consideration of demographics.
AHRQ-funded; HS024597.
Citation: Vemulakonda VM, Kempe A A, Hamer MK .
Physician perspectives on discussions with parents of infants with suspected ureteropelvic junction obstruction.
J Pediatr Surg 2021 Mar;56(3):620-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.04.016..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Surgery, Decision Making, Provider: Physician
Chhabra KR, Thumma JR, Varban OA
Associations between video evaluations of surgical technique and outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
The authors examined associations between technique and outcomes in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Technical approaches to five controversial aspects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were studied: dissection of the proximal stomach, sleeve caliber, sleeve anatomy, staple line reinforcement, and leak testing. The authors found that variations in surgical technique can be measured by video review and are associated with differences in patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023597; HS025365.
Citation: Chhabra KR, Thumma JR, Varban OA .
Associations between video evaluations of surgical technique and outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
JAMA Surg 2021 Feb;156(2):e205532. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2020.5532..
Keywords: Surgery, Obesity, Provider Performance, Provider: Physician, Provider, Quality of Care
Cohen C, Baird M, Koirola N
The surgical and anesthesia workforce and provision of surgical services in rural communities: a mixed-methods examination.
This mixed-methods study described the distribution of the surgical and anesthesia workforce and qualitatively explored how such workforce and other factors influenced rural hospitals' provision of surgical services. Using American Hospital Association survey data, the researchers found that within rural counties, 55.1% had no surgeon, 81.2% had no anesthesiologist, and 58.1% had no Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. While rural hospitals reported meeting community needs for elective and noncomplex surgeries, these hospitals continued to face significant challenges providing subspecialty surgeries, emergency surgeries, and 24-hour obstetrical services.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Cohen C, Baird M, Koirola N .
The surgical and anesthesia workforce and provision of surgical services in rural communities: a mixed-methods examination.
J Rural Health 2021 Jan;37(1):45-54. doi: 10.1111/jrh.12417..
Keywords: Rural Health, Access to Care, Surgery, Workforce, Provider: Physician, Provider: Nurse, Provider, Hospitals
Byrnes ME, Varlamos CJ, Rivard SJ
"You're used to being the one that can fix things…": a qualitative snapshot of colorectal surgeons during COVID-19.
This viewpoint article reflects the narratives of 58 colorectal surgeons who engaged in an in-depth qualitative interview during the COVID-19 shutdown of elective surgeries. The goal for reporting these findings is to offer a snapshot of surgeon perspectives on the delays of elective surgeries and to give voice to surgeons who were unable to perform most or all their duties as a surgeon.
AHRQ-funded; HS025365; HS000053.
Citation: Byrnes ME, Varlamos CJ, Rivard SJ .
"You're used to being the one that can fix things…": a qualitative snapshot of colorectal surgeons during COVID-19.
Dis Colon Rectum 2020 Dec;63(12):1575-78. doi: 10.1097/dcr.0000000000001818..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician, Provider, COVID-19, Public Health, Infectious Diseases
Dossett LA, Waljee JF, Dimick JB
Ensuring equal access to mentorship and sponsorship for surgeons through structured team-based mentoring.
This perspective paper describes how Michigan Medicine has developed early- and mid-career mentoring programs for surgeons in the hopes of reducing inequities in access to mentorship and foster a culture of mentorship for women and underrepresented minorities. The university hospital developed a mentoring program with Launch Teams for early career surgeons and Boost Teams for mid-career surgeons. The Launch Teams consist of 5-7 members meeting as a group 4 to 6 times yearly for 3 years. Members are selected jointly by the mentee and a member of the departmental leadership and include a clinical mentor, research mentors (if applicable), one or more external mentors and other members with specific research, administrative, educational, or leadership positions. Mid-career surgeons can elect to join a Boost Team after promotion or making a mid-career institutional transition. The team consists of a larger number of members outside the department or institution than Launch Teams. This team also meets every other month and the goal is to establish a leadership phenotype and long-term goals.
AHRQ-funded; HS026030.
Citation: Dossett LA, Waljee JF, Dimick JB .
Ensuring equal access to mentorship and sponsorship for surgeons through structured team-based mentoring.
Ann Surg 2020 Dec;272(6):939-40. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000004500..
Keywords: Provider: Physician, Provider, Surgery
Ehlers AP, Vitous CA, Sales A
Exploration of factors associated with surgeon deviation from practice guidelines for management of inguinal hernias.
Investigators explored factors associated with surgeon choice of approach (minimally invasive vs open) in inguinal hernia repair as a tool to gain an understanding of guideline-discordant care. They found that decision-making for the approach to inguinal hernia repair was largely influenced by surgeon preference and access to resources rather than patient factors. Although a one-size-fits-all approach is not recommended, the operative approach should ideally be informed by patient factors, including hernia characteristics. They recommended addressing surgeon preference and available resources with a clinician-facing decision aid to provide an opportunity to optimize care for patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair.
AHRQ-funded; HS025778.
Citation: Ehlers AP, Vitous CA, Sales A .
Exploration of factors associated with surgeon deviation from practice guidelines for management of inguinal hernias.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Nov 2;3(11):e2023684. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23684..
Keywords: Surgery, Guidelines, Provider: Physician, Provider, Decision Making, Evidence-Based Practice
Shubeck SP, Newman EA, Vitous CA
Hiring practices of US academic surgery departments-challenges and opportunities for more inclusive hiring.
To increase workforce diversity among academic medical centers, the Association of American Medical Colleges recommends multiple inclusive strategies for evaluating and hiring candidates. The objective of this study was to determine (1) usual and inclusive hiring practices used among academic surgery departments and (2) the barriers to utilization of inclusive hiring practices. The investigators concluded that many chairs rely heavily on internal hires or trusted networks, which may limit both demographic and cognitive diversity.
AHRQ-funded; HS026030.
Citation: Shubeck SP, Newman EA, Vitous CA .
Hiring practices of US academic surgery departments-challenges and opportunities for more inclusive hiring.
J Surg Res 2020 Oct;254:23-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.03.054..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider: Physician, Provider, Workforce, Hospitals
Varban OA, Thumma JR, Carlin AM
Peer assessment of operative videos with sleeve gastrectomy to determine optimal operative technique.
Global assessments of technical skill have been associated with surgical outcomes. More detailed understanding of which specific aspects of technique combine to make the "optimal" sleeve gastrectomy are necessary to help surgeons improve their practice. In this article, the investigators described their study in which the review of de-identified videos of practicing bariatric surgeons was conducted by a minimum of 10 peer surgeons. The videos were assessed on the technical quality of 9 operative maneuvers (ie mobilization of the fundus, stapler location, and sleeve width).
AHRQ-funded; HS017765.
Citation: Varban OA, Thumma JR, Carlin AM .
Peer assessment of operative videos with sleeve gastrectomy to determine optimal operative technique.
J Am Coll Surg 2020 Oct;231(4):470-77. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.06.016..
Keywords: Surgery, Obesity: Weight Management, Obesity, Adverse Events, Provider: Physician, Provider