Assessment of Demographic Changes of Workforce Diversity in Otolaryngology, 2013 to 2022.

Importance: Given the growth of minoritized groups in the US and the widening racial and ethnic health disparities, improving diversity remains a proposed solution in the field of otolaryngology. Evaluating current trends in workforce diversity may highlight potential areas for improvement. Objective: To understand the changes in gender, racial, and ethnic diversity in the otolaryngology workforce in comparison with changes in the general surgery and neurosurgery workforces from 2013 to 2022. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used publicly available data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Association of American Medical Colleges for 2013 to 2022, and included medical students and trainees in all US medical residency programs and allopathic medical schools. Main Outcomes and Measures: Average percentages of women, Black, and Latino trainees during 2 intervals of 5 years (2013-2017 and 2018-2022). Pearson χ2 tests compared demographic information. Normalized ratios were calculated for each demographic group in medical school and residency. Piecewise linear regression assessed linear fit for representation across time periods and compared rates of change. Results: The study population comprised 59 865 medical residents (43 931 [73.4%] women; 6203 [10.4%] Black and 9731 [16.2%] Latino individuals; age was not reported). The comparison between the 2 study intervals showed that the proportions of women, Black, and Latino trainees increased in otolaryngology (2.9%, 0.7%, and 1.6%, respectively), and decreased for Black trainees in both general surgery and neurosurgery (-0.4% and -1.0%, respectively). In comparison with their proportions in medical school, Latino trainees were well represented in general surgery, neurosurgery, and otolaryngology (normalized ratios [NRs]: 1.25, 1.06, and 0.96, respectively); however, women and Black trainees remained underrepresented in general surgery, neurosurgery, and otolaryngology (women NRs, 0.76, 0.33, and 0.68; Black NRs, 0.63, 0.61, and 0.29, respectively). The percentage of women, Black, and Latino trainees in otolaryngology all increased from 2020 to 2022 (2.5%, 1.1%, and 1.1%, respectively). Piecewise regression showed positive trends across all 3 specialties. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cross-sectional study indicate a positive direction but only a modest increase of diversity in otolaryngology, particularly in the context of national demographic data. Novel strategies should be pursued to supplement existing efforts to increase diversity in otolaryngology.

Impacto de COVID-19 en la formación de los alumnos de la Carrera de Posgrado de Cirugía General en un Hospital COVID / Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on trainees' education in the Postgraduate Program in General Surgery in a COVID-19-dedicated hospital

RESUMEN Antecedentes: El Hospital Eva Perón de la ciudad de Granadero Baigorria se destinó a la atención casi exclusiva de pacientes afectados por COVID-19, lo que implicó modificar las actividades que allí se desarrollan. Allí se realizan actividades correspondientes al Posgrado de Cirugía General de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario. El objetivo es describir los cambios y el funcionamiento del posgrado de Cirugía General en el HEEP durante la pandemia por COVID-19, y el impacto que esta tuvo sobre la formación de los alumnos. Material y métodos: se realizó un trabajo descriptivo, comparativo. Período 20 de marzo de 2020 al 30 de septiembre de 2020 y el mismo período del año 2019. Variables analizadas: número de cirugías, horas en el hospital, número de guardias, actividad en consultorio y pacientes evaluados, seminarios teóricos, cursado de la carrera de posgrado. Resultados: las cirugías totales se redujeron un 74,88%. Las cirugías programadas se redujeron un 85,59%. Las cirugías de guardia se redujeron un 63,19%. Las guardias de R1, R2 y R3 se vieron disminuidas, al contrario de R4. Las horas en el hospital se redujeron en todos los alumnos. Los pacientes ingresados disminuyeron el 74,06%. La atención en todos los consultorios se vio reducida. Las actividades académicas se incrementaron, de forma no presencial. Conclusión: la pandemia por COVID-19 afectó significativamente la formación de los alumnos del posgrado de Cirugía General del HEEP. Se recurrió a métodos no tradicionales de enseñanza para realizar actualizaciones y discutir trabajos científicos.

ABSTRACT Background: Hospital Eva Perón in the city of Granadero Baigorria was almost exclusively dedicated to the care of COVID-19 patients; thereby, it was necessary to modify its activities, as those of the postgraduate program in General Surgery of Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, which take place in this hospital. The aim of this study is to describe the changes made and the performance of the postgraduate program in general surgery at HEEP during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impact on trainees' education. Material and methods: We conducted a descriptive study comparing the period between March 20, 2020, and September 30, 2020, with the same period in 2019. The variables analyzed included number of surgeries, hours spent in hospital, number of in-house call shifts, activities in the outpatient clinic and evaluation of patients, theoretical seminars, attendance to classes of the postgraduate programs and research work. Results: The total number of surgeries decreased by 74.88%, scheduled surgeries by 85.59% and emergency surgeries by 63.19%. The numbers of in-house call shifts of PGY-1, PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents decreased but not those of PGY-4 residents. The hours spent in hospital decreased in all the trainees. The number of patients hospitalized decreased by 74.06% and there was a reduction in all the activities of the outpatient clinics. The academic activities, performed non-face-to-face, increased. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected trainees' education in the postgraduate program in General Surgery at HEEP. Non-traditional teaching methods were used for updating and discussing scientific papers.

Jejum pós-operatório prolongado: um problema negligenciado / Ayuno postoperatorio prolongado: un problema negligenciado / Prolonged postoperative fasting: a neglected problem

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar o tempo de jejum e tipo de dieta prescrita para reintrodução alimentar no pós-operatório de diferentes especialidades cirúrgicas. Método: estudo quantitativo, retrospectivo, documental e descritivo dos prontuários de pacientes cirúrgicos, com amostra randomizada e estratificada de 464 pacientes, realizado em hospital universitário público de grande porte no Paraná. Realizou-se análise estatística descritiva, apresentando medidas de tendência central e seus intervalos de confiança. Resultados: a média de jejum pós-operatório foi de 9:54h (DP: 6:89), variando de 8 a 30 horas. As clínicas que apresentaram maior tempo de jejum foram cirurgia cardíaca, cirurgia torácica e neurocirurgia, com médias de 18:25h, 14:45h e 12:22h, respectivamente. Quanto à prescrição de dieta no pós-operatório imediato, 51,3% dos pacientes receberam dieta geral, 15,3% dieta leve e 11,9% mantiveram jejum nas primeiras 24 horas após o procedimento cirúrgico. Conclusão: o tempo de jejum encontrado nessa instituição excede as atuais recomendações de protocolos nacionais e internacionais, o que implica aumento de desconfortos para o paciente cirúrgico, como sede, fome e estresse, além da insatisfação com o serviço prestado pela equipe de saúde.

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar el tiempo de ayuno y tipo de dieta prescrita para la reintroducción alimentaria postoperatoria de diferentes especialidades quirúrgicas. Método: estudio cuantitativo, retrospectivo, documental y descriptivo de historias clínicas de pacientes quirúrgicos, con una muestra aleatorizada y estratificada de 464 pacientes, realizada en un gran hospital universitario público de Paraná. Se realizó análisis estadístico descriptivo, presentando medidas de tendencia central y sus intervalos de confianza. Resultados: el ayuno postoperatorio medio fue de 9: 54h (DP: 6:89), con un rango de 8 a 30 horas. Las clínicas que mostraron mayor tiempo de ayuno fueron cirugía cardíaca, cirugía torácica y neurocirugía, con medias de 18: 25h, 14: 45h y 12: 22h, respectivamente. En cuanto a la prescripción de dieta en el postoperatorio inmediato, el 51,3% de los pacientes recibió dieta general, el 15,3% dieta ligera y el 11,9% ayuno durante las primeras 24 horas posteriores al procedimiento quirúrgico. Conclusión: el tiempo de ayuno encontrado en esta institución supera las recomendaciones vigentes de los protocolos nacionales e internacionales, lo que implica un aumento de las molestias para el paciente quirúrgico, como sed, hambre y estrés, además de insatisfacción con el servicio brindado por el equipo de salud.

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the fasting time and type of the diet prescribed for the food reintroduction during the postoperative period of different surgical specialties. Method: this is a quantitative, retrospective, documentary, and descriptive study with medical records of surgical patients. The study had a randomized and stratified sample with 464 patients carried out in a large public university hospital in Paraná. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis, presenting measures of central tendency and their confidence intervals. Results: the mean post-operative fasting was 9:54 hours (SD: 6:89), ranging from 8 to 30 hours. The cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery, and neurosurgery were the clinics that presented the longest fasting time with averages of 18:25, 14:45, and 12:22 hours, respectively. Regarding the diet prescription in the immediate postoperative period, 51.3% of the patients received a general diet, 15.3% a light diet, and 11.9% fasted for the first 24 hours after the surgical procedure. Conclusion: the fasting time found in this institution exceeds the current recommendations of national and international protocols, showing an increase in discomfort for the surgical patient such as thirst, hunger, and stress, in addition to dissatisfaction with the service provided by the health team.

Demographic Disparity in Use of Telemedicine for Ambulatory General Surgical Consultation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of the Initial Public Health Emergency and Second Phase Periods.

BACKGROUND: Surgical patients with limited digital literacy may experience reduced telemedicine access. We investigated racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in telemedicine compared with in-person surgical consultation during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of new visits within the Division of General & Gastrointestinal Surgery at an academic medical center occurring between March 24 through June 23, 2020 (Phase I, Massachusetts Public Health Emergency) and June 24 through December 31, 2020 (Phase II, relaxation of restrictions on healthcare operations) was performed. Visit modality (telemedicine/phone vs in-person) and demographic data were extracted. Bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed to evaluate associations between patient characteristics and visit modality. RESULTS: During Phase I, 347 in-person and 638 virtual visits were completed. Multivariable modeling demonstrated no significant differences in virtual compared with in-person visit use across racial/ethnic or insurance groups. Among patients using virtual visits, Latinx patients were less likely to have video compared with audio-only visits than White patients (OR, 0.46; 95% CI 0.22-0.96). Black race and insurance type were not significant predictors of video use. During Phase II, 2,922 in-person and 1,001 virtual visits were completed. Multivariable modeling demonstrated that Black patients (OR, 1.52; 95% CI 1.12-2.06) were more likely to have virtual visits than White patients. No significant differences were observed across insurance types. Among patients using virtual visits, race/ethnicity and insurance type were not significant predictors of video use. CONCLUSION: Black patients used telemedicine platforms more often than White patients during the second phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual consultation may help increase access to surgical care among traditionally under-resourced populations.

Beyond the revised cardiac risk index: Validation of the hospital frailty risk score in non-cardiac surgery.

Frailty is an established risk factor for adverse outcomes following non-cardiac surgery. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a recently described frailty assessment tool that harnesses administrative data and is composed of 109 International Classification of Disease variables. We aimed to examine the incremental prognostic utility of the HFRS in a generalizable surgical population. Using linked administrative databases, a retrospective cohort of patients admitted for non-cardiac surgery between October 1st, 2008 and September 30th, 2019 in Alberta, Canada was created. Our primary outcome was a composite of death, myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest at 30-days. Multivariable logistic regression was undertaken to assess the impact of HFRS on outcomes after adjusting for age, sex, components of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) and peri-operative biomarkers. The final cohort consisted of 712,808 non-cardiac surgeries, of which 55·1% were female and the average age was 53·4 +/- 22·4 years. Using the HFRS, 86.3% were considered low risk, 10·7% were considered intermediate risk and 3·1% were considered high risk for frailty. Intermediate and high HFRS scores were associated with increased risk of the primary outcome with an adjusted odds ratio of 1·61 (95% CI 1·50-1.74) and 1·55 (95% CI 1·38-1·73). Intermediate and high HFRS were also associated with increased adjusted odds of prolonged hospital stay, in-hospital mortality, and 1-year mortality. The HFRS is a minimally onerous frailty assessment tool that can complement perioperative risk stratification in identifying patients at high risk of short- and long-term adverse events.

Analysis of Surgical Volume in Military Medical Treatment Facilities and Clinical Combat Readiness of US Military Surgeons.

Importance: Low surgical volume in the US Military Health System (MHS) has been identified as a challenge to military surgeon readiness. The Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, in partnership with the American College of Surgeons, developed the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) Clinical Readiness Program that includes a tool for quantifying the clinical readiness value of surgeon workload, known as the KSA metric. Objective: To describe changes in US military general surgeon procedural volume and readiness using the KSA metric. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study analyzed general surgery workload performed across the MHS, including military and civilian facilities, between fiscal year 2015 and 2019 and the calculated KSA metric value. The surgeon-level readiness among military general surgeons was calculated based on the KSA metric readiness threshold. Data were obtained from TRICARE, the US Department of Defense health insurance product. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were general surgery procedural volumes and the KSA metric point value of those procedures across the MHS as well as the number of military general surgeons meeting the KSA metric readiness threshold. Aggregate facility and regional market-level claims data were used to calculate the procedural volumes and KSA metric readiness value of those procedures. Annual adjusted KSA metric points earned were used to determine the number of individual US military general surgeons meeting the readiness threshold. Results: The number of general surgery procedures generating KSAs in military hospitals decreased 25.6%, from 128 377 in 2015 to 95 461 in 2019, with a 19.1% decrease in the number of general surgeon KSA points (from 7 155 563 to 5 790 001). From 2015 to 2019, there was a 3.2% increase in both the number of procedures (from 419 980 to 433 495) and KSA points (from 21 071 033 to 21 748 984) in civilian care settings. The proportion of military general surgeons meeting the KSA metric readiness threshold decreased from 16.7% (n = 97) in 2015 to 10.1% (n = 68) in 2019. Conclusions and Relevance: This study noted that the number of KSA metric points and procedural volume in military hospitals has been decreasing since 2015, whereas both measures have increased in civilian facilities. The findings suggest that loss of surgical workload has resulted in further decreases in military surgeon readiness and may require substantial changes in patient care flow in the MHS to reverse the change.

Telemedicine in surgery during COVID-19 pandemic: are we doing enough?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this systematic review was to report and to analyze if there is and what is the impact of telemedicine in the surgical practice during COVID-19 pandemic. Many authors have posited that the pandemic urged a high implementation of the telemedicine service even in surgical specialties, however, the impact of this change of the clinical practice has been variably reported and its utilization in general surgery is uncertain. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: All articles from any country written in English, Italian, Spanish, or French, about the use of telemedicine for indication to surgical treatment or for 30-day postoperative follow-up in general surgery during the COVID 19 outbreak, from the March 1, 2020, to December 1, 2020, were included. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Two hundred nine articles were fully analyzed, and 207 further articles were excluded. Finally, 2 articles, both published in October 2020, were included in the present systematic review. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has forced to review the traditional methods to deliver surgical assistance and urged surgeons to find alternative methods to continue their practice. The literature about this topic is yet scarce and many questions regarding its efficacy in improving patients' health, cost-effectiveness and user satisfaction remain unsolved.

Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Restructuring on Surgical Volume and Outcomes of Non-COVID Patients Undergoing Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 has caused significant surgical delays as institutions minimize patient exposure to hospital settings and utilization of health care resources. We aimed to assess changes in surgical case mix and outcomes due to restructuring during the pandemic. METHODS: Patients undergoing surgery at a single tertiary care institution in the Deep South were identified using institutional ACS-NSQIP data. Primary outcome was case mix. Secondary outcomes were post-operative complications. Chi-square, ANOVA, logistic regression, and linear regression were used to compare the control (pre-COVID, Mar 2018-Mar 2020) and case (during COVID, Mar 2020-Mar 2021) groups. RESULTS: Overall, there were 6912 patients (control: 4,800 and case: 2112). Patients were 70% white, 29% black, 60% female, and 39% privately insured. Mean BMI was 30.2 (SD = 7.7) with mean age of 58.3 years (SD = 14.8). Most surgeries were with general surgery (48%), inpatient (68%), and elective (83%). On multivariable logistic regression, patients undergoing surgery during the pandemic were more likely to be male (OR: 1.14) and in SIRS (OR: 2.07) or sepsis (OR: 2.28) at the time of surgery. Patients were less likely to have dyspnea with moderate exertion (OR: .75) and were less dependent on others (partially dependent OR: .49 and totally dependent OR: .15). Surgeries were more likely to be outpatient (OR: 1.15) and with neurosurgery (OR: 1.19). On bivariate analysis, there were no differences in post-operative outcomes. CONCLUSION: Surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic were more often outpatient without differences in post-operative outcomes. Additional analysis is needed to determine the impact of duration of operative delay on surgical outcomes with restructuring focusing more on outpatient surgeries.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Current Analysis of General Surgery Residency Programs.

BACKGROUND: Local, regional, and national diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have been established to combat barriers to entry and promote retention in surgery residency programs. Our study evaluates changes in diversity in general surgery residency programs. We hypothesize that diversity trends have remained stable nationally and regionally. MATERIALS AND METHODS: General surgery residents in all postgraduate years were queried regarding their self-reported sex, race, and ethnicity following the 2020 ABSITE. Residents were then grouped into geographic regions. Data were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis test, and chi-square analyses. RESULTS: A total of 9276 residents responded. Nationally, increases in female residents were noted from 38.0 to 46.0% (P < .001) and in Hispanic or Latinx residents from 7.3 to 8.3% (P = .031). Across geographic regions, a significant increase in female residents was noted in the Northwest (51.9 to 58.3%, P = .039), Midwest (36.9 to 43.3%, P = .006), and Southwest (35.8 to 47.5%, P = .027). A significant increase in black residents was only noted in the Northwest (0 to 15.8%, P = .031). The proportion of white residents decreased nationally by 8.9% and in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Southwest between 5.5 and 15.9% (P < .05). DISCUSSION: In an increasingly diverse society, expanding the numbers of underrepresented surgeons in training, and ultimately in practice, is a necessity. This study shows that there are region-specific increases in diversity, despite minimal change on a national level. This finding may suggest the need for region-specific DEI strategies and initiatives. Future studies will seek to evaluate individual programs with DEI plans and determine if there is a correlation to changing demographics.

Identifying institutional factors in general surgery resident wellness and burnout.

BACKGROUND: Effects of the institutional macrocosm on general surgery resident wellbeing have not been well studied. We sought to identify organizational factors that impact resident wellness and burnout. METHODS: Using a modified Delphi technique, an open-ended survey and two subsequent iterations were distributed to wellness stakeholders at two institutions to identify and stratify institutional factors in six burnout domains. RESULTS: Response rates for each survey round were 29/106 (27%), 30/46 (65%) and 21/30 (70%). Top factors identified in each domain were: CONCLUSION: A modified Delphi technique prioritized institutional wellness and burnout factors. Top factors identified were compensation, vacation time, and autonomy. These results can direct future scholarship of barriers/facilitators of resident wellbeing.

Ontario wait times for delayed surgical treatment of traumatic peripheral nerve injury.

BACKGROUND: To better understand the occurrence and operative treatment of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) and the potential need for additional resources, it is essential to define the frequency and distribution of peripheral nerve procedures being performed. The objective of this study was to evaluate Ontario's wait times for delayed surgical treatment of traumatic PNI. METHODS: We retrieved data on wait times for peripheral nerve surgery from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Wait Time Information System. We reviewed the wait times for delayed surgical treatment of traumatic PNI among adult patients (age ≥ 18 yr) from April 2009 to March 2018. Data collected included total cases, mean and median wait times, and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Over the study period, 7313 delayed traumatic PNI operations were reported, with variability in the case volume distribution across Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). The highest volume of procedures (2788) was performed in the Toronto Central LHIN, and the lowest volume (< 6) in the Waterloo Wellington and North Simcoe Muskoka LHINs. The population incidence of traumatic PNI requiring surgery was 5.1/10 000. The mean and median wait times from surgical decision to surgical repair were 45 and 27 days, respectively. Both the longest and shortest wait times occurred in LHINs with low case volumes. The provincial target wait time was met in 93% of cases, but women waited significantly longer than men (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The provincial distribution of traumatic PNI surgery was variable, and the highest volumes were in the LHINs with large populations. The provincial wait time strategy for traumatic PNI surgery is effective, but women waited longer than men. Precise reporting from all hospitals is necessary to accurately capture and understand the delivery of care after traumatic PNI.

Structures, processes and models of care for emergency general surgery in Ontario: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Emergency general surgery (EGS) patients require urgent surgical evaluation and intervention for various conditions, such as infectious or obstructive diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. We aimed to characterize the structures and processes that are relevant to the delivery of EGS care across Ontario hospitals and to evaluate the availability of critical resources at hospitals with formal EGS models. METHODS: Between August 2019 and July 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of Ontario hospitals that offered urgent general surgery (defined as the ability to provide nonelective surgical intervention within 24 to 48 hours of presentation) to adults. People with intimate knowledge of their hospital's EGS program completed a Web-based or telephone survey characterizing the program's organizational structure and staffing, operating room availability, interventional radiology and interventional endoscopy availability, intensive care unit availability and staffing, and regional participation. Their responses were compiled and comparisons were made between hospitals with and without formal EGS models of care, as well as between hospitals based on size and academic status. RESULTS: Of the 114 Ontario hospitals identified, 109 responded (95.6% response rate). A third (34.6%; n = 37/107) of hospitals had EGS models of care. Thirty-four of these (91.9%) were large (> 100-bed) institutions that would be likely to have increased resources. However, even for hospitals of similar size, those with EGS models had increased staffing levels compared to those without (clinical associates 17.6% [n = 3/17] v. 10.0% [n = 2/20]; nurse practitioners or physician assistants 27.8% [n = 5/18] v. 14.3% [n = 3/21]). They also had better access to diagnostic and interventional equipment (24/7 access to computed tomography 94.1% [n = 16/17] v. 69.2% [n = 18/26]), interventional radiology (88.9% [n = 16/18] v. 42.3% [n = 11/26]), endoscopy (100% [n = 18/18] v. 69.2% [n = 18/26]) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (77.8% [n = 14/18] v. 42.3% [n = 11/26]), as well as dedicated operating room time (72.2% [n = 13/18] v. 0% [n = 0/25]). INTERPRETATION: The structures and processes available to care for patients requiring EGS in Ontario were highly variable between hospitals. Hospitals with formal EGS models were more likely to have access to key resources.

Novel method to link surgical trainee performance data to patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND: 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. We describe the feasibility of an innovative method to link trainee performance data with patient outcomes. METHODS: We extracted surgeon NPI numbers from Medicare claims data for common general surgery procedures between 2007 and 2017. Next, American Board of Surgery (ABS) trainee performance data was cross-referenced with additional resources to supplement NPI data. The patient and trainee datasets were linked using NPI number and a linkage rate was calculated. RESULTS: We identified 12,952 unique surgeons in the Medicare file. Medicare surgeons were matched with ABS records by NPI number, with 96.2% (n = 12,460) of surgeons linked successfully. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated a novel process to link patient outcomes to trainee performance. This innovation can enable future research investigating the relationship between surgical trainee performance and patient outcomes in independent practice.

Are surgical and non-operating room intervention safe in the COVID-19 pandemic? A retrospective study.

Little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on the outcomes of patients undergoing surgery and intervention. This study was conducted between 20 March and 20 May 2020 in six hospitals in Istanbul, and aimed to investigate the effects of surgery and intervention on COVID-19 disease progression, intensive care (ICU) need, mortality and virus transmission to patients and healthcare workers. Patients were examined in three groups: group I underwent emergency surgery, group II had an emergency non-operating room intervention, and group III received inpatient COVID-19 treatment but did not have surgery or undergo intervention. Mortality rates, mechanical ventilation needs and rates of admission to the ICU were compared between the three groups. During this period, patient and healthcare worker transmissions were recorded. In total, 1273 surgical, 476 non-operating room intervention patients and 1884 COVID-19 inpatients were examined. The rate of ICU requirement among patients who had surgery was nearly twice that for inpatients and intervention patients, but there was no difference in mortality between the groups. The overall mortality rates were 2.3% in surgical patients, 3.3% in intervention patients and 3% in inpatients. COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction positivity among hospital workers was 2.4%. Only 3.3% of infected frontline healthcare workers were anaesthesiologists. No deaths occurred among infected healthcare workers. We conclude that emergency surgery and non-operating room interventions during the pandemic period do not increase postoperative mortality and can be performed with low transmission rates.

Assessment of Hospital Characteristics and Interhospital Transfer Patterns of Adults With Emergency General Surgery Conditions.

Importance: Although patients with emergency general surgery (EGS) conditions frequently undergo interhospital transfers, the transfer patterns and associated factors are not well understood. Objective: To examine whether patients with EGS conditions are consistently directed to hospitals with more resources and better outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study performed a network analysis of interhospital transfers among adults with EGS conditions from January 1 to December 31, 2016. The analysis used all-payer claims data from the 2016 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project state inpatient and emergency department databases in 8 states. A total of 728 hospitals involving 85 415 transfers of 80 307 patients were included. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they were 18 years or older and had an acute care hospital encounter with a diagnosis of an EGS condition as defined by the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. Data were analyzed from January 1, 2020, to June 17, 2021. Exposures: Hospital-level measures of size (total bed capacity), resources (intensive care unit [ICU] bed capacity, teaching status, trauma center designation, and presence of trauma and/or surgical critical care fellowships), EGS volume (annual EGS encounters), and EGS outcomes (risk-adjusted failure to rescue and in-hospital mortality). Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was hospital-level centrality ratio, defined as the normalized number of incoming transfers divided by the number of outgoing transfers. A higher centrality ratio indicated more incoming transfers per outgoing transfer. Multivariable regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis that a higher hospital centrality ratio would be associated with more resources, higher volume, and better outcomes. Results: Among 80 307 total patients, the median age was 63 years (interquartile range [IQR], 50-75 years); 52.1% of patients were male and 78.8% were White. The median number of outgoing and incoming transfers per hospital were 106 (IQR, 61-157) and 36 (IQR, 8-137), respectively. A higher log-transformed centrality ratio was associated with more resources, such as higher ICU capacity (eg, >25 beds vs 0-10 beds: ß = 1.67 [95% CI, 1.16-2.17]; P < .001), and higher EGS volume (eg, quartile 4 [highest] vs quartile 1 [lowest]: ß = 0.78 [95% CI, 0-1.57]; P = .01). However, a higher log-transformed centrality ratio was not associated with better outcomes, such as lower in-hospital mortality (eg, quartile 4 [highest] vs quartile 1 [lowest]: ß = 0.30 [95% CI, -0.09 to 0.68]; P = .83) and lower failure to rescue (eg, quartile 4 [highest] vs quartile 1 [lowest]: ß = -0.50 [95% CI, -1.13 to 0.12]; P = .27). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, EGS transfers were directed to high-volume hospitals with more resources but were not necessarily directed to hospitals with better clinical outcomes. Optimizing transfer destination in the interhospital transfer network has the potential to improve EGS outcomes.

Operative Shutdown and Recovery: Restructuring Surgical Operations During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: During the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in New York City, hospitals canceled elective surgeries to increase capacity for critically ill patients. We present case volume data from our community hospital to demonstrate how this shutdown affected surgical care. METHODS: Between March 16 and June 14, 2020, all elective surgeries were canceled at our institution. All procedures performed during this operating room shutdown (ORS) were logged, as well as those 4 weeks before (PRE) and 4 weeks after (POST) for comparison. RESULTS: A total of 2,475 cases were included in our analysis, with 754 occurring during shutdown. Overall case numbers dropped significantly during ORS and increased during recovery (mean 245.0 ± 28.4 PRE versus 58.0 ± 30.9 ORS versus 186.0±19.4 POST cases/wk, P< 0.001). Emergency cases predominated during ORS (26.4% PRE versus 59.3% ORS versus 31.5% POST, P< 0.001) despite decreasing in frequency (mean 64.5 ± 7.9 PRE versus 34.4 ± 12.1 ORS versus 58.5 ± 4.0 POST cases/wk, P< 0.001). Open surgeries remained constant in all three phases (52.2-54.1%), whereas laparoscopic and robotic surgeries decreased (-3.4% and -3.0%, P< 0.001). General and/or vascular surgery, urology, and neurosurgery comprised a greater proportion of caseload (+9.5%, +3.0%, +2.8%), whereas orthopedics, gynecology, and otolaryngology/plastic surgery all decreased proportionally (-5.0%, -4.4%, -5.9%, P< 0.001). CONCLUSION: Operative volume significantly decreased during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Emergency cases predominated during this time, although there were fewer emergency cases overall. General/vascular surgery became the most active service and open surgeries became more common. This reallocation of resources may be useful for future crisis planning among community hospitals.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Adult Surgical Patients and Surgical Services: An International Multi-center Cohort Study and Department Survey.

OBJECTIVES: The PREDICT study aimed to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected surgical services and surgical patients and to identify predictors of outcomes in this cohort. BACKGROUND: High mortality rates were reported for surgical patients with COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic. However, the indirect impact of the pandemic on this cohort is not understood, and risk predictors are yet to be identified. METHODS: PREDICT is an international longitudinal cohort study comprising surgical patients presenting to hospital between March and August 2020, conducted alongside a survey of staff redeployment and departmental restructuring. A subgroup analysis of 3176 adult emergency patients, recruited by 55 teams across 18 countries is presented. RESULTS: Among adult emergency surgical patients, all-cause in-hospital mortality (IHM) was 3.6%, compared to 15.5% for those with COVID-19. However, only 14.1% received a COVID-19 test on admission in March, increasing to 76.5% by July.Higher Clinical Frailty Scale scores (CFS >7 aOR 18.87), ASA grade above 2 (aOR 4.29), and COVID-19 infection (aOR 5.12) were independently associated with significantly increased IHM.The peak months of the first wave were independently associated with significantly higher IHM (March aOR 4.34; April aOR 4.25; May aOR 3.97), compared to non-peak months.During the study, UK operating theatre capacity decreased by a mean of 63.6% with a concomitant 27.3% reduction in surgical staffing. CONCLUSION: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted surgical patients, both directly through co-morbid infection and indirectly as shown by increasing mortality in peak months, irrespective of COVID-19 status.Higher CFS scores and ASA grades strongly predict outcomes in surgical patients and are an important risk assessment tool during the pandemic.

Characterizing the social media footprint of general surgery residency programs.

BACKGROUND: The medical community has increasingly embraced social media for a variety of purposes, including trainee education, research dissemination, professional networking, and recruitment of trainees and faculty. Platform choice and usage patterns appear to vary by specialty and purpose, but few studies comprehensively assess programs' social media presence. Prior studies assessed general surgery departments' Twitter use but omitted additional social media platforms and residency-specific accounts. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to broadly characterize the social media footprint of U.S. general surgery residency programs. METHODS: Using a protocolized search of program websites, social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), and internet search, cross-sectional data on social media usage in March 2020 were collected for programs, their affiliated departments, their program directors (PDs), and their assistant/associate PDs (APDs). RESULTS: 318 general surgery residency programs, 313 PDs, and 296 APDs were identified. 47.2% of programs had surgery-specific accounts on ≥1 platform. 40.2% of PDs and APDs had ≥1 account on Twitter and/or LinkedIn. Program type was associated with social media adoption and Twitter utilization, with lower usage among university-affiliated and independent programs (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Most general surgery residencies, especially non-university-based programs, lacked any department or residency accounts across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by March 2020. These findings highlight opportunities for increased social media engagement and act as a pre-pandemic baseline for future investigations of how the shift to virtual trainee education, recruitment, conferences, and clinical care affect social media use.