Travel distance and regional access to cardiac valve surgery.
Robert B HawkinsMatthew BylerClifford FonnerIrving L KronLeora T YarboroAlan M SpeirMohammed A QuaderGorav AilawadiJames Hunter MehaffeyPublished in: Journal of cardiac surgery (2019)
Contrary to other surgical subspecialties, farther travel distance and bypassing the nearest surgical center were associated with lower rates of operative mortality and failure to rescue. Either referral patterns or financials reasons may result in Travelers ending up at high performing centers that prevent escalation of complications.
Keyphrases
- minimally invasive
- risk factors
- primary care
- aortic valve
- mitral valve
- left ventricular
- cardiovascular events
- coronary artery bypass
- open label
- type diabetes
- clinical trial
- infectious diseases
- cardiovascular disease
- aortic stenosis
- randomized controlled trial
- heart failure
- coronary artery disease
- acute coronary syndrome
- atrial fibrillation