Determining the Association Between Insurance Type and Myofascial Release in Large Ventral Hernias.

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) utilizes advanced myofascial releases to perform complex ventral hernia repair (VHR). The relationship between the performance of AWR and disparities in insurance type is unknown. METHODS: The Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative was queried for adults who had undergone an elective VHR between 2013 and 2020 with a hernia size ≥10 cm. Patients with missing insurance data were excluded. Comparison groups were divided by insurance type: favorable (private, Medicare, Veteran's Administration, Tricare) or unfavorable (Medicaid and self-pay). Propensity score matching compared the cumulative incidence of AWR between the favorable and unfavorable insurance comparison groups. RESULTS: In total, 26,447 subjects met inclusion criteria. The majority (89%, n = 23,617) had favorable insurance, while (11%, n = 2830) had unfavorable insurance. After propensity score matching, 2821 patients with unfavorable insurance were matched to 7875 patients with favorable insurance. The rate of AWR with external oblique release or transversus abdominis release was significantly higher (23%, n = 655) among the unfavorable insurance group compared to those with favorable insurance (21%, n = 1651; P = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that patients with unfavorable insurance may undergo AWR with external oblique or transversus abdominis release at a greater rate than similar patients with favorable insurance. Understanding the mechanisms contributing to this difference and evaluating the financial implications of these trends represent important directions for future research in elective VHR.

APSA Members experience bias and discrimination in training and practice.

INTRODUCTION: Bias and discrimination remain pervasive in the medical field and increase the risk of burnout, mental health disorders, and medical errors. The experiences of APSA members with bias and discrimination are unknown, therefore the APSA committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion conducted a survey to characterize the prevalence of bias and discrimination. METHODS: 1558 APSA members were sent an anonymous survey, of which 423 (27%) responded. Respondents were asked about their demographics, knowledge of implicit bias, and experience of bias and discrimination within their primary workplace, APSA, and APSA committees. Data were analyzed using Fisher's Exact test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and multivariable logistic regression as appropriate with significance defined as p<0.05. RESULTS: Discrimination was reported across all levels of practice, academic appointments, race, ethnicity, and gender identities. On multivariable analysis, surgical trainees (OR 3.6) as well as Asian American and Pacific Islander (OR 4.8), Black (OR 5.2), Hispanic (OR 8.2) and women (OR 8.7) surgeons were more likely to experience bias and discrimination in the workplace. Community practice surgeons were more likely to experience discrimination within APSA committees (OR 3.6). Members identifying as Asian (OR 0.4), or women (OR 0.6) were less likely to express comfort reporting instances of bias and discrimination. CONCLUSION: Workplace discrimination exists across all training levels, academic appointments, and racial and gender identities. Trainees and racial- and gender-minority surgeons report disproportionately high prevalence of bias and discrimination. Improving reporting mechanisms and implicit bias training are possible initiatives in addressing these findings.

Diversity and demographics of APSA members: Understanding our identity.

INTRODUCTION: There are existing healthcare disparities in pediatric surgery today. Identity and racial incongruity between patients and providers contribute to systemic healthcare inequities and negatively impacts health outcomes of minoritized populations. Understanding the current demographics of the American Pediatric Surgical Association and therefore the cognitive diversity represented will help inform how best to strategically build the organization to optimize disparity solutions and improve patient care. METHODS: 1558 APSA members were sent an anonymous electronic survey. Comparative data was collected from the US Census Bureau and the Association of American Medical Colleges. Results were analyzed using standard statistical tests. RESULTS: Of 423 respondents (response rate 27%), the race and ethnicity composition were 68% non Hispanic White, 12% Asian American and Pacific Islander, 6% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, and 4% Black/African American. Respondents were 35% women, 63% men, and 1% transgender, androgyne, or uncertain. Distribution of sexual identity was 97% heterosexual and 3% LGBTQIA. Religious identity was 50% Christian, 22% Agnostic/Atheist, 11% Jewish, 3% Hindu, and 2% Muslim. 32% of respondents were first-generation Americans. Twenty-four different primary languages were spoken, and 46% of respondents were conversational in a second language. These findings differ in meaningful ways from the overall American population and from the population of matriculants in American medical schools. CONCLUSION: There are substantial differences in the racial, gender, and sexual identity composition of APSA members compared with the overall population in the United States. To achieve excellence in patient care and innovate solutions to existing disparities, representation, particularly in leadership is essential. TYPE OF STUDY: Survey; original research. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Is Hospital Occupancy Rate Associated With Postoperative Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Hepatopancreatic Surgery?

OBJECTIVE: To define the association between hospital occupancy rate and postoperative outcomes among patients undergoing hepatopancreatic (HP) resection. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Previous studies have sought to identify hospital-level characteristics associated with optimal surgical outcomes and decreased expenditures. The present study utilized a novel hospital quality metric coined "occupancy rate" based on publicly available data to assess differences in postoperative outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing HP procedures. METHODS: Medicare beneficiaries who underwent an elective HP surgery between 2013 and 2017 were identified. Occupancy rate was calculated and hospitals were categorized into quartiles. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to assess the association between occupancy rate and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Among 33,866 patients, the majority underwent a pancreatic resection (58.5%; n = 19,827), were male (88.4%; n = 7,488), or white (88.4%; n = 29,950); median age was 72 years [interquartile range (IQR): 68-77] and median Charleston Comorbidity Index was 3 (IQR 2-8). Hospitals were categorized into quartiles based on hospital occupancy rate (cutoffs: 48.1%, 59.4%, 68.2%). Most patients underwent an HP operation at a hospital with an above average occupancy rate (n = 20,865, 61.6%), whereas only a small subset of patients had an HP procedure at a low occupancy rate hospital (n = 1,218, 3.6%). On multivariable analysis, low hospital occupancy rate was associated with increased odds of a complication [(OR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-1.55) and 30-day mortality (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.27-1.97). Even among only high-volume HP hospitals, patients operated on at hospitals that had a low occupancy rate were at markedly higher risk of complications (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.03-1.97), as well as 30 day morality (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.27-3.83). CONCLUSIONS: Among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing an elective HP resection, more than 1 in 4 hospitals performing HP surgeries utilized less than half of their beds on average. There was a monotonic relationship between hospital occupancy rate and the odds ofexperiencing a complication, as well as 30-day mortality, independent of other hospital level characteristics including procedural volume.

The role of religion and spirituality in cancer care: An umbrella review of the literature.

Although some studies have suggested a strong relationship between religion and spirituality (R&S) and patient outcomes in cancer care, other data have been mixed or even noted adverse effects associated with R&S in the healthcare setting. We sought to perform an umbrella review to systematically appraise and synthesize the current body of literature on the role of patient R&S in cancer care. A systematic search of the literature was conducted that focused on "cancer" (neoplasm, malignant neoplasm, malignancy), "spirituality" (beliefs, divine), and "religion" (specific practices like Christianity, faith, faith healing, prayer, Theology). A total of 41 review articles published from 1995 to 2019 were included: 8 systematic reviews, 6 meta-analyses, 4 systematic reviews and meta-analysis, and 23 other general reviews. The number of studies included in each review ranged from 7 to 148, while 10 studies did not indicate sample size. Most articles did not focus on a specific cancer diagnosis (n = 36), stage of cancer (n = 32), or patient population (n = 34). Many articles noted that R&S had a positive impact on cancer care, yet some reviews reported inconclusive or negative results. Marked variation in methodological approaches to studying R&S among cancer patients, including operational definitions and measurement, were identified. Resolving these issues will be an important step to understanding how patients seek to have R&S integrated into their patient-centered cancer care experience.

In-house intensivist presence does not affect mortality in select emergency general surgery patients.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the relationship between availability of round-the-clock (RTC) in-house intensivists and patient outcomes in people who underwent surgery for a life-threatening emergency general surgery (LT-EGS) disease such as necrotizing soft-tissue infection, ischemic enteritis, perforated viscus, and toxic colitis. METHODS: Data on hospital-level critical care structures and processes from a 2015 survey of 2,811 US hospitals were linked to patient-level data from 17 State Inpatient Databases. Patients who were admitted with a primary diagnosis code for an LT-EGS disease of interest and underwent surgery on date of admission were included in analyses. RESULTS: We identified 3,620 unique LT-EGS admissions at 368 hospitals. At 66% (n = 243) of hospitals, 83.5% (n = 3,021) of patients were treated at hospitals with RTC intensivist-led care. These facilities were more likely to have in-house respiratory therapists and protocols to ensure availability of blood products or adherence to Surviving Sepsis Guidelines. When accounting for other key factors including overnight surgeon availability, perioperative staffing, and annual emergency general surgery case volume, not having a protocol to ensure adherence to Surviving Sepsis Guidelines (adjusted odds ratio, 2.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-3.94) was associated with increased odds of mortality. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that focused treatment of sepsis along with surgical source control, rather than RTC intensivist presence, is key feature of optimizing EGS patient outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, level III.

Hemoglobin A1c Is a Predictor of New Insulin Dependence After Partial Pancreatectomy: A Multi-Institutional Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic diseases have long been associated with impaired glucose control. This study sought to identify the incidence of new insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) after pancreatectomy and the predictive accuracy of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) or blood glucose. METHODS: Patients who underwent partial pancreatectomy and had preoperative HbA1c available at two academic institutions were assessed for new IDDM on discharge in relation to complication rates and survival. RESULTS: Of the 267 patients analyzed, 67% had abnormal HbA1c levels prior to surgery (mean 6.8%, glucose 135 mg/dL). Two hundred eight (77.9%) were not insulin-dependent prior to surgery, and 35 (16.8%) developed new IDDM after resection. On multivariable regression, increasing HbA1c and preoperative glucose were the only significant predictors for new IDDM. Optimal predictive cutoffs (HbA1c of 6.25% and glucose of 121 mg/dL) were determined in a discovery group (n = 143) and confirmed in a validation group (n = 124) with a diagnostic sensitivity of 72.7% and specificity of 84.8%. Patients with new IDDM after resection had higher rates of severe complications (OR 3.39), increased TPN at discharge (OR 4.32), and increased rates of discharge to nursing facilities (OR 2.57) (all P < 0.05). New IDDM was also associated with a decreased cancer-specific survival. CONCLUSION: Preoperative HbA1c ≥ 6.25% and blood glucose ≥ 121 mg/dL can accurately identify patients at increased risk of IDDM. These diagnostics may help identify patients in a preoperative setting that may benefit from interventions such as diabetes education or enhanced glucose control preoperatively.

Provision of supportive spiritual care for hepatopancreatic cancer patients: an unmet need?

BACKGROUND: Among patients with a serious cancer diagnosis, like hepatopancreatic (HP) cancer, spiritual distress needs to be addressed, as these psychosocial-spiritual symptoms are often more burdensome than some physical symptoms. The objective of the current study was to characterize supportive spiritual care utilization among patients with HP cancers. METHODS: Patients with HP cancer were identified from the electronic medical record at a large comprehensive cancer center; data on patients with breast/prostate cancer (non-HP) were collected for comparison. Associations between patient characteristics and receipt of supportive spiritual care were evaluated within the overall sample and end-of-life subsample. RESULTS: Among 8,961 individuals (nHP=1,419, nnon-HP =7,542), 51.7% of HP patients utilized supportive spiritual care versus 19.8% of non-HP patients (p<0.001). Younger age and religious identity were associated with receiving spiritual care (p<0.001). HP patients had higher odds of receiving spiritual care versus non-HP patients (OR 2.41, 95%CI: 2.10, 2.78). Within the end-of-life subsample, HP patients more frequently received spiritual care to "accept their illness" (39.5% vs. 22.5%, p<0.001), while non-HP patients needed support to "define their purpose in life" (13.1% vs. 4.5%, p=0.001). DISCUSSION: Supportive spiritual care was important to a large subset of HP patients and should be integrated into their care.

Machine learning predicts unpredicted deaths with high accuracy following hepatopancreatic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Machine learning to predict morbidity and mortality-especially in a population traditionally considered low risk-has not been previously examined. We sought to characterize the incidence of death among patients with a low estimated morbidity and mortality risk based on the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) estimated probability (EP), as well as develop a machine learning model to identify individuals at risk for "unpredicted death" (UD) among patients undergoing hepatopancreatic (HP) procedures. METHODS: The NSQIP database was used to identify patients who underwent elective HP surgery between 2012-2017. The risk of morbidity and mortality was stratified into three tiers (low, intermediate, or high estimated) using a k-means clustering method with bin sorting. A machine learning classification tree and multivariable regression analyses were used to predict 30-day mortality with a 10-fold cross validation. C statistics were used to compare model performance. RESULTS: Among 63,507 patients who underwent an HP procedure, median patient age was 63 (IQR: 54-71) years. Patients underwent either pancreatectomy (n=38,209, 60.2%) or hepatic resection (n=25,298, 39.8%). Patients were stratified into three tiers of predicted morbidity and mortality risk based on the NSQIP EP: low (n=36,923, 58.1%), intermediate (n=23,609, 37.2%) and high risk (n=2,975, 4.7%). Among 36,923 patients with low estimated risk of morbidity and mortality, 237 patients (0.6%) experienced a UD. According to the classification tree analysis, age was the most important factor to predict UD (importance 16.9) followed by preoperative albumin level (importance: 10.8), disseminated cancer (importance: 6.5), preoperative platelet count (importance: 6.5), and sex (importance 5.9). Among patients deemed to be low risk, the c-statistic for the machine learning derived prediction model was 0.807 compared with an AUC of only 0.662 for the NSQIP EP. CONCLUSIONS: A prognostic model derived using machine learning methodology performed better than the NSQIP EP in predicting 30-day UD among low risk patients undergoing HP surgery.

Hepatopancreatic Surgery in the Rural United States: Variation in Outcomes at Critical Access Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Sixty million Americans live in rural America, with roughly 17.5% of the rural population being 65 y or older. Outcomes and costs of Medicare beneficiaries undergoing hepatopancreatic surgery at critical access hospitals (CAHs) are not known. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medicare files were used to identify patients who underwent hepatopancreatic resection. Outcomes were compared (CAHs versus non-CAHs). RESULTS: Patients undergoing hepatopancreatic surgery at non-CAHs versus CAHs had a similar comorbidity score (4 versus 5, P = 0.53). After adjusting for patient-level factors and procedure-specific volume, there was no difference in complication rate (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.52-1.24). The median cost of hospitalization was roughly $4000 less at CAHs than that at non-CAHs (P < 0.001). However, compared with patients undergoing surgery at non-CAHs, beneficiaries operated at CAHs had more than two times the odds of dying within 30 (aOR 2.45, 95% CI 1.42-4.2) and 90 d (aOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.4-3.71). CONCLUSIONS: Only a small subset of Medicare beneficiaries underwent hepatic or pancreatic resection at a CAH. Despite similar complication rate, Medicare beneficiaries undergoing surgery at a CAH had more than two times the odds of dying within 30 and 90 d after surgery.

Resection of Primary Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumor Among Patients with Non-Resected Metastases Is Associated with Improved Survival: A SEER-Medicare Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to analyze whether primary tumor resection (PTR) among patients with stage IV gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumor (GI-NET) and unresected metastases was associated with improved outcomes. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with stage IV GI-NETs were identified in the linked SEER-Medicare database from 2004 to 2015. Overall survival (OS) of patients who did versus did not undergo PTR was examined using bivariate and multivariable cox regression analysis as well as propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: Among 2219 patients with metastatic GI-NETs, 632 (28.5%) underwent PTR, whereas 1587 (71.5%) did not. The majority of individuals had a NET in the pancreas (n = 969, 43.6%); the most common site of metastatic disease was the liver (n = 1064, 47.9%). Patients with stage IV small intestinal NETs most frequently underwent PTR (62.6%) followed by individuals with colon NETs (56.5%). After adjusting for all competing factors, PTR remained independently associated with improved OS (HR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.56-0.76). Following PSM (n = 236 per group), patients who underwent PTR had improved OS (median OS: 1.3 years vs 0.8 years, p = 0.016). While PTR of NETs originating from stomach, small intestine, colon, and pancreas was associated with improved OS, PTR of rectal NET did not yield a survival benefit. CONCLUSION: Primary GI-NET resection was associated with a survival benefit among individuals presenting with metastatic GI-NET with unresected metastases. Resection of primary GI-NET among patients with stage IV disease and unresected metastases should only be performed in selected cases following multi-disciplinary evaluation.

Importance of Radiologists in Optimizing Outcomes for Older Americans with Acute Abdomen.

BACKGROUND: Patients presenting with acute abdominal pain often undergo a computed tomography (CT) scan as part of their diagnostic workup. We investigated the relationship between availability, timeliness, and interpretation of CT imaging and outcomes for life-threatening intra-abdominal diseases or "acute abdomen," in older Americans. METHODS: Data from a 2015 national survey of 2811 hospitals regarding emergency general surgery structures and processes (60.1% overall response, n = 1690) were linked to 2015 Medicare inpatient claims data. We identified beneficiaries aged ≥65 admitted emergently with a confirmatory acute abdomen diagnosis code and operative intervention on the same calendar date. Multivariable regression models adjusted for significant covariates determined odds of complications and mortality based on CT resources. RESULTS: We identified 9125 patients with acute abdomen treated at 1253 hospitals, of which 78% had ≥64-slice CT scanners and 85% had 24/7 CT technicians. Overnight CT reads were provided by in-house radiologists at 14% of hospitals and by teleradiologists at 66%. Patients were predominantly 65-74 y old (43%), white (88%), females (60%), and with ≥3 comorbidities (67%) and 8.6% died. STAT radiology reads by a board-certified radiologist rarely/never available in 2 h was associated with increased odds of systemic complication and mortality (adjusted odds ratio 2.6 [1.3-5.4] and 2.3 [1.1-4.8], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Delays obtaining results are associated with adverse outcomes in older patients with acute abdomen. This may be due to delays in surgical consultation and time to source control while waiting for imaging results. Processes to ensure timely interpretation of CT scans in patients with abdominal pain may improve outcomes in high-risk patients.

Hospital Location and Socioeconomic Disadvantage of Emergency General Surgery Patients.

BACKGROUND: Emergency general surgery (EGS) patients are more socioeconomically vulnerable than elective counterparts. We hypothesized that a hospital's neighborhood disadvantage is associated with vulnerability of its EGS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Area deprivation index (ADI), a neighborhood-level measure of disadvantage, and key characteristics of 724 hospitals in 14 states were linked to patient-level data in State Inpatient Databases. Hospital and EGS patient characteristics were compared across hospital ADI quartiles (least disadvantaged [ADI 1-25] "affluent," minimally disadvantaged [ADI 26-50] "min-da", moderately disadvantaged [ADI 51-75] "mod-da", and most disadvantaged [ADI 76-100] "impoverished") using chi2 tests and multivariable regression. RESULTS: Higher disadvantage hospitals are more often nonteaching (affluent = 38.9%, min-da = 53.5%, mod-da = 72.1%, and impoverished = 67.6%), nonaffiliated with medical schools (50%, 72.4%, 81.8%, and 78.8%), and in rural areas (3.3%, 9.2%, 31.2%, and 27.9%). EGS patients at higher disadvantage hospitals are more likely to be older (43.9%, 48.6%, 49.1%, and 46.6%), have >3 comorbidities (17.0%, 19.0%, 18.4%, and 19.3%), live in low-income areas (21.4%, 23.6%, 32.2%, and 42.5%), and experience complications (23.2%, 23.7%, 24.0%, and 25.2%). Rates of uninsurance/underinsurance were highest at affluent and impoverished hospitals (18.0, 16.4%, 17.7%, and 19.2%). Higher disadvantage hospitals serve fewer minorities (32.6%, 21.3%, 20.7%, and 24.0%), except in rural areas (2.9%, 6.7%, 6.5%, and 15.5%). In multivariable analyses, the impoverished hospital ADI quartile did not predict odds of serving as a safety-net or predominantly minority-serving hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitals in impoverished areas disproportionately serve underserved EGS patient populations but are less likely to have robust resources for EGS care or train future EGS surgeons. These findings have implications for measures to improve equity in EGS outcomes.

Quality of Care Among Medicare Patients Undergoing Pancreatic Surgery: Safety Grade, Magnet Recognition, and Leapfrog Minimum Volume Standards-Which Quality Benchmark Matters?

BACKGROUND: The association of national quality benchmarking metrics with postoperative outcomes following complex surgery remains unknown. We assessed the relationship between the "quality trifactor" of Leapfrog minimum volume standards, Hospital Safety Grade A, and Magnet Recognition with outcomes of Medicare patients undergoing pancreatectomy. METHODS: The Standard Analytic Files (SAF) merged with Leapfrog Hospital Survey and Leapfrog Safety Scores Denominator Files were reviewed to identify Medicare patients who underwent pancreatic procedures between 2013 and 2015. Primary outcomes were overall and serious complications, as well as 30- and 90-day mortality. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate possible associations among hospitals meeting the quality trifactor and short-term outcomes. RESULTS: Among 4853 Medicare patients, 909 (18.7%) underwent pancreatectomy at hospitals meeting the quality trifactor. Among 260 hospitals, 7.3% (n = 19) met the quality trifactor. Safety Grade A (48.8%, n = 127) was the most commonly met criterion followed by Magnet Recognition (36.2%, n = 94); the Leapfrog minimum volume standards were achieved by 25% (n = 65) of hospitals. Patients undergoing surgery at hospitals that were only Safety Grade A and Magnet designated, but did not meet Leapfrog criteria, had higher odds of serious complications (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.00-2.51). In contrast, patients undergoing treatment at hospitals having all three designations (i.e., the quality trifactor) had 40% and 39% lower odds of both serious complications (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.37-0.97) and 90-day mortality (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.42-0.89), respectively. In turn, patients undergoing pancreatectomy at quality trifactor hospitals had higher odds of experiencing the composite quality measure textbook outcome (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.03-1.59) versus patients undergoing pancreatectomy at non-trifactor hospitals. CONCLUSION: While Safety Grade A and Magnet designation alone were not associated with higher odds of an optimal composite outcome following pancreatectomy, compliance with Leapfrog criteria to achieve the "quality trifactor" metric was associated with lower odds of serious complications and mortality.

Analyzing Outcomes Among Older Adults With Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTIs) encompass a group of severe, life-threatening diseases with high morbidity and mortality. Evidence suggests advanced age is associated with worse outcomes. To date, no large data sets exist describing outcomes in older individuals, and risk factor identification is lacking. METHODS: Retrospective data were obtained from the 2015 Medicare 100% sample. Included in the analysis were those aged ≥65 y with a primary diagnosis of an NSTI (gas gangrene, necrotizing fasciitis, cutaneous gangrene, or Fournier's gangrene). Risk factors for in-hospital mortality and discharge disposition were examined. Continuous variables were assessed using central tendency, t-tests, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Categorical variables were assessed using the chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. RESULTS: 1427 patient records were reviewed. 59% of patients were male, and the overall mean age was 75.4±8.6 y. 1385 (97.0%) patients required emergency surgery for their NSTI diagnosis. The overall mortality was 5.3%. Several underlying comorbidities were associated with higher rates of mortality including cancer (OR: 3.50, P = 0.0009), liver disease (OR: 2.97, P = 0.03), and kidney disease (OR: 2.15, P = 0.01). While associated with high in-hospital mortality, these diagnoses were not associated with a difference in the rate of discharge to home compared with skilled nursing or rehab. Overall, patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities or rehab had higher rates of underlying comorbidities than patients who were discharged home (3 or more comorbid illness 84.3% versus 68.6%, P < 0.0001); however, no individual comorbid illness was associated with discharge location. CONCLUSIONS: In our Medicare data set, we identified several medical comorbidities that are associated with increased rates of in-hospital mortality. Patients with underlying cancers had the highest odds of increased mortality. The effect on outcomes of the potentially immunosuppressive cancer treatments in these patients is unknown. These data suggest that patients with underlying illnesses, especially cancer, kidney disease, or liver disease have higher mortalities and are more likely to be discharged to skilled nursing facilities or rehab. It is unclear why these illnesses were associated with these worse outcomes while others including diabetes and heart disease were not. These data suggest that these particular comorbid illnesses may have special prognostic implications, although further analysis is necessary to identify the causative factors.

Association of pre-existing mental illness with all-cause and cancer-specific mortality among Medicare beneficiaries with pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Among patients with pancreatic cancer, the association of pre-existing mental illness with long-term outcomes remains unknown. METHODS: Individuals diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified in the SEER-Medicare database. Patients were classified as having mental illness if an ICD9/10CM code for anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder was recorded. RESULTS: Among the 54,234 Medicare beneficiaries with pancreatic cancer, roughly 1 in 12 (n = 4793, 8.83%) individuals had a diagnosis of a mental illness. The majority (n = 4029, 84.1%) had anxiety or depression, while 16% (n = 764) had bipolar/schizophrenic disorders. On multivariable analysis, among patients with early stage cancer, individuals with pre-existing anxiety/depression and bipolar/schizophrenic disorders had 22% (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.69-0.86) and 46% (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.42-0.70) reduced odds, respectively, to undergo cancer-directed surgery. Furthermore, patients with a pre-existing history of bipolar/schizophrenic disorders had a 20% (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.21-1.40) higher risk of all-cause mortality and 27% (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17-1.37) higher risk of pancreatic cancer-specific mortality compared to individuals without a history of mental illness. CONCLUSION: One in twelve patients with pancreatic cancer had a pre-existing mental illness. Individuals with mental illness were more likely to have worse overall and cancer-specific long-term outcomes.

Characterizing Pastoral Care Utilization by Cancer Patients.

PURPOSE: To assess the rate of and characterize the utilization of pastoral care (PC) among patients on their cancer treatment trajectory. METHODS: Patients included in the present study were diagnosed with cancer 01/2015-08/2019 at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center-The James. To determine which patient demographic and clinical factors were independently associated with PC utilization, a multivariable logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: A total of 14,322 patients were included in the study and 5,166 (36.1%) had at least one visit with PC. Cancers such as brain (n = 232, 4.5% vs. n = 159, 1.7%), liver/pancreas (n = 733, 14.2% vs. 686, 7.5%), and lung (n = 1,288 vs. 24.9% vs. n = 1,113, 12.2%) were more commonly noted among patients who utilized PC services (all p < 0.001). Furthermore, compared with patients diagnosed with Stage 1 cancer, patients with more advanced disease stages had higher odds of utilizing PC services (Stage III: OR 2.37, 95% CI 2.07-2.70; Stage IV OR 2.31, 95% CI: 2.04-2.61; both p < 0.05). Interestingly, patients who had a DNR order had a markedly higher odds (OR 4.18, 95%CI 3.76-4.65, p < 0.001) of utilizing PC services. DISCUSSION: One in three patients with cancer utilized PC services. Patients with more severe prognoses and individuals with a DNR order were more likely to utilize PC. The data suggest that PC services are an important resource for many patients and should be integrated into the treatment approach for cancer.

Assessment of Cancer Center Variation in Textbook Oncologic Outcomes Following Colectomy for Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Traditional metrics may inadequately represent rates of attaining optimal oncologic care. We evaluated a composite "textbook oncologic outcome" (TOO) to assess the incidence of achieving an "optimal" clinical result after colon adenocarcinoma (CA) resection. METHODS: The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried to identify patients undergoing colectomy for non-metastatic CA between 2010 and 2015. TOO was defined as a margin negative resection with an AJCC compliant lymph node evaluation, no prolonged length of stay (LOS) or 30-day readmission/mortality, as well as receipt of stage appropriate adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Among 170,120 patients who underwent colectomy at 1315 hospitals, 93,204 (54.8%) achieved TOO with large variations observed among facilities. While certain factors were achieved nearly universally (R0 margin, 95.6%; no 30-day mortality, 97.2%), avoidance of prolonged LOS (77.3%) and appropriate adjuvant chemotherapy (83.0%) were achieved less consistently. On multivariable analysis, Black race/ethnicity (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.80-0.85), Medicaid insurance (OR 0.64, 0.61-0.68), and low-volume facility (< 50/year) (OR 0.83, 0.77-0.89) were associated with decreased likelihood of TOO. Achievement of TOO was associated with improved long-term survival (HR 0.45; 95% CI 0.44-0.46). CONCLUSIONS: Roughly one-half of patients undergoing resection of CA achieved an optimal clinical outcome. TOO may be a more useful quality metric to assess patient-centric composite outcomes following surgical procedures.

Association of County-Level Social Vulnerability with Elective Versus Non-elective Colorectal Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: A person's community, or lived environment, may play an important role in achieving optimal health outcomes. The objective of the current study was to assess the association of county-level vulnerability with the probability of having a non-elective colon resection. We hypothesized that individuals from areas with a high social vulnerability would be at greater risk of non-elective colon resection compared with patients from low social vulnerability areas. METHODS: Patients aged 65-99 who underwent a colon resection for a primary diagnosis of either diverticulitis (n = 11,812) or colon cancer (n = 33,312) were identified in Medicare Part A and Part B for years 2016-2017. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate differences in probability of undergoing an elective versus non-elective operation from counties relative to county-level social vulnerability index (SVI). Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications, mortality, readmission, and index hospitalization expenditure. RESULTS: Among 45,124 patients, 11,812 (26.2%) underwent a colon resection for diverticulitis, while 33,312 (73.8%) had a resection for colon cancer; 31,012 (68.7%) patients had an elective procedure (diverticulitis n = 7291 (61.7%) vs. cancer n = 23,721 (71.2%)), while 14,112 (31.3%) had an emergent operation (diverticulitis n = 4521 (38.3%) vs. cancer n = 9591 (28.8%)). Patients with a high SVI were more likely to undergo an emergent colon operation compared with low SVI patients (43.7% vs. 40.4%) (p < 0.001). The association of high SVI with increased risk of an emergent colon operation was similar among patients with diverticulitis (emergent: low SVI 37.2% vs. high SVI 40.4%) or colon cancer (emergent: low SVI 26.0% vs. high SVI 29.9%) (both p < 0.05). On multivariable analyses, risk-adjusted probability of undergoing an urgent/emergent operation remained associated with SVI (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients residing in vulnerable communities characterized by a high SVI were more likely to undergo a non-elective colon resection for either diverticulitis or colon cancer. Patients from high SVI areas had a higher risk of postoperative complications, as well as index hospitalization expenditures; however, there were no differences in mortality or readmission rates.

Variation in Drain Management Among Patients Undergoing Major Hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have suggested that drain management is highly variable, data on drain placement and timing of drain removal among patients undergoing hepatic resection remain scarce. The objective of the current study was to define the utilization of drain placement among patients undergoing major hepatic resection. METHODS: The ACS NSQIP-targeted hepatectomy database was used to identify patients who underwent major hepatectomy between 2014 and 2017. Association between day of drain removal, timing of discharge, and drain fluid bilirubin on postoperative day (POD) 3 (DFB-3) was assessed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare outcomes of patients with a drain removed before and after POD 3. RESULTS: Among 5330 patients, most patients had an abdominal drain placed at the time of hepatic resection (n = 3075, 57.7%). Of 2495 patients with data on timing of drain removal, only 380 patients (15.2%) had their drain removed by POD 3. Almost 1 in 6 patients (n = 441, 17.7%) were discharged home with the drain in place. DFB-3 values correlated poorly with POD of drain removal (R2 = 0.0049). After PSM, early drain removal (≤ POD 3) was associated with lower rates of grade B or C bile leakage (2.1% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.008) and prolonged length of hospital stay (6.0% vs. 12.7%, p = 0.009) compared with delayed drain removal (> POD 3). CONCLUSIONS: Roughly 3 in 5 patients had a drain placed at the time of major hepatectomy and only 1 in 7 patients had the drain removed early. This study demonstrated the potential benefits of early drain removal in an effort to improve the quality of care following major hepatectomy.