Fellowship or Family? A Comparison of Residency Leave Policies With the Family and Medical Leave Act.

BACKGROUND: In 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) mandated 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. The current impact of taking 12 weeks of leave during residency has not been evaluated. METHODS: We examined the 2018 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (n = 24) specialty leave policies to determine the impact of 6- and 12-week leave on residency training, board eligibility, and fellowship training. We compared our findings with a 2006 study. RESULTS: In 2018, five (21%) specialties had policy language regarding parental leave during residency, and four (16%) had language regarding medical leave. Median leave allowed was 4 weeks (IQR 4-6). Six specialties (25%) decreased the number of weeks allowed for leave from 2006 to 2018. In 2006, a 6-week leave would cause a 1-year delay in board eligibility in six specialties; in 2018, it would not cause delayed board eligibility in any specialty. In 2018, a 12-week (FMLA) leave would extend training by a median of 6 weeks (mean 4.1, range 0-8), would delay board eligibility by 6-12 months in three programs (mean 2.25, range 0-12), and would delay fellowship training by at least 1 year in 17 specialties (71%). The impact of a 12-week leave was similar between medical and surgical specialties. CONCLUSIONS: While leave policies have improved since 2006, most specialties allow for 6 weeks of leave, less than half of what is mandated by the FMLA. Moreover, a 12-week, FMLA-mandated leave would cause significant delays in board certification and entry into fellowship for most residency programs.

Risk factors for 30-day readmission after colorectal surgery: does transfer status matter?

BACKGROUND: Rates of readmission after colorectal surgery (CRS) range from 9% to 25% and cost the US $300 million annually. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for 30-d readmission after CRS. Our hypothesis was that transfer from an outside hospital before CRS increases incidence of 30-d readmission. METHODS: Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Readmissions Database, a retrospective analysis of surviving adult patients who underwent inpatient colon and/or rectal resection from 2010 to 2014 was performed. Using multivariable logistic regression, we assessed the direct effect of potential risk factors for readmission, including demographics, hospital characteristics, comorbidities, indication for CRS, and transfer status to the index hospital where the CRS was performed. RESULTS: A total of 336,792 patients were included, and 13% (n = 43,546) were readmitted within 30 d. Overall, 1% of patients (n = 3652) were transferred from another hospital for surgery, and these patients were more likely to be older, have comorbidities, have public insurance, and have low income. After adjustment, age, insurance type, household income, comorbidities, and primary indication for CRS were all significant predictors of readmission. Transfer status did not meaningfully impact the incidence of readmission after accounting for patient and hospital characteristics (aOR 1.08, 95% CI 1.00, 1.18). Patients with primary indications of trauma (aOR 1.88, 95% CI 1.48, 2.38), inflammatory bowel disease (aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.1.56, 1.71), and ischemia (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.1.59, 1.97) were most likely to be readmitted. Patients treated at a rural nonteaching hospital, compared with those at a urban teaching hospital, were significantly less likely to be readmitted (aOR 0.80, 95% CI 0.76, 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative factors, such as patient comorbidities and primary indications for CRS, are important risk factors for postoperative readmission. Although transfer status does not independently predict readmission, it serves as a proxy for a high-risk group of patients that could be targeted for future interventions.