Specialty versus generalist care of children with appendicitis: an outcome comparison.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Some Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) limit access of their members to specialists to lower costs. The purpose of this study is to determine whether this policy affects the outcome of children with appendicitis. METHODS: At a large academic medical center, children 17 years or younger with appendicitis were treated either by an HMO Adult General Surgical Service (group A) or a Pediatric Surgical Service (group B). Board certified pediatric surgeons were not available on the HMO surgical service. Anesthesia, surgical residents, nursing, and ancillary support services were identical in both groups. Study parameters included imaging tests performed, operation type, complications, readmissions, and length of stay. Results were analyzed using chi(2) and Fischer's Exact tests. RESULTS: One-hundred seventy-five consecutive children underwent appendectomy, 96 in group A and 79 in group B. In patients with simple acute appendicitis, there was no significant difference between group A and group B for complications, readmissions, second operation, or length of stay. In patients with gangrenous or perforated appendicitis there was a significant difference between group A and group B for type of operation (laparoscopic appendectomy, group A, 4 of 27 v. group B, 0 of 34; P =.04); complications (group A, 9 of 27 v. group B, 3 of 34; P =.025); readmissions (group A, 6 of 27 v. group B, 0 of 34; P =.001); second operation (group A, 6 of 27 v. group B, 2 of 34; P =.001); and mean total length of stay in days (group A, 8.6 of 27 v. group B, 5.4 of 34; P =.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with significantly perforated appendicitis have lower complication rates and shorter lengths of hospital stay when treated by pediatric surgeons as compared with HMO adult general surgeons.