Bariatric patients have 65% lower chance of complications at top hospitals: HealthGrades studyJuly 29, 2008Bariatric surgery patients treated at highly rated hospitals have, on average, a 65 percent lower chance of experiencing serious complications compared to patients who undergo surgery at poorly rated hospitals according to a study released today by HealthGrades, the nations leading independent healthcare ratings organization. As part of the study, the quality ratings of hospitals performing bariatric surgery in 17 states became available today at www.healthgrades.com. HealthGrades' third annual Bariatric Surgery Trends in American Hospitals study, which evaluated bariatric surgical outcomes at every hospital that performed them in 17 states, also found that the complication rate for these surgeries continues to rise, increasing six percent from 2004 to 2006. One possible reason: lower volume facilities have higher complication rates. Bariatric surgery is a general term describing several types of weight loss procedures. HealthGrades study analyzed the outcomes of the most common, including traditional open surgical gastric bypass procedures as well as newer, less invasive procedures such as "lap-banding" and laparoscopic gastric bypass.
Complications associated with gastric bypass surgery accounted for the highest rise in complications, increasing 17 percent. Comparatively, complications from less invasive laparoscopic surgery increased by just more than one percent. Complications associated with bariatric surgery include heart attack, kidney failure, stroke and post-surgical infections. The HealthGrades study found a significant shift toward laparoscopic bariatric procedures. From 2004 through 2006, open gastric bypass procedures declined by 81.82 percent while during the same time period laparoscopic procedures increased 418.86 percent. Meanwhile, the total volume of bariatric surgical procedures in the U.S. continues to grow rapidly. The American Society for Bariatric Surgery estimates that such surgeries have increased 1,431 percent in the last decade to more than 250,000 annually. "The tremendous variation we are seeing in quality among bariatric surgery providers underscores the importance of readily available quality data to help consumers make a truly informed decision about where to seek care," said Rick May, MD, a senior physician advisor with HealthGrades and an author of the study. Additionally, the third annual HealthGrades Bariatric Surgery Trends in American Hospitals study found that: * A typical patient having a bariatric surgical procedure at a five-star rated hospital in one of the 17 states studied has on average, a 65 percent lower chance of experiencing one or more inhospital complications than at a one-star rated hospital and a 41 percent lower chance than at a three-star rated hospital during 2004- 2006. * Five-star (top rated) hospitals performed almost twice the volume of procedures compared to 1-star and 3-star facilities-an average of 526 procedures from 2004 through 2006 compared with 266 and 283 respectively. * Higher volume was associated with fewer risk-adjusted complications. Facilities with an annual case volume of 125 procedures had the lowest risk-adjusted complications. Facilities performing less than 25 cases per year had the highest rate of risk-adjusted complications. * If all patients had received their bariatric surgery procedure at 5-star hospitals (from 2004 through 2006), 5,125 inhospital complications could have been potentially avoided in the 17 states studied. HealthGrades Bariatric Surgery Ratings HealthGrades' quality ratings for bariatric surgery at individual hospitals in 17 states were posted today to www.healthgrades.com as a free resource for consumers. Each hospital receives a star rating based on their patient outcomes for bariatric surgery. Hospitals with above-average outcomes receive a five-star rating. Hospitals with average outcomes receive a three-star rating, and hospitals with outcomes that are below average receive a one-star rating. The study included a total of 154,451 bariatric inpatient surgery procedures performed in 680 hospitals in 17 states from 2004 through 2006. The majority of procedures were performed in four states: New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and California. * 93 hospitals stand out as "best" performers (5-star rated) * 263 hospitals were rated as "as expected" performers (3-star rated) * 99 hospitals were rated as "poor" performers (1-star rated) Individuals contemplating bariatric surgery will find both quality and cost information at www.healthgrades.com. In addition to the free hospital-quality ratings, Web site visitors can also research surgeons who perform bariatric surgery as well as medical-cost reports that detail all of the costs, including out-of-pocket expenses, for the procedure. Methodology For this study, HealthGrades analyzed 154,451 bariatric procedures performed in the years 2004, 2005 and 2006. The states included in the study are: Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin To make accurate and valid comparisons of clinical outcomes at different hospitals with different patient characteristics, HealthGrades risk adjusted the data using multivariate logistic regression to account for age, gender and underlying medical conditions that could increase the patient's risk of mortality or complication. The full study and individual hospital ratings for bariatric surgery and other procedures can be found at www.healthgrades.com. HealthGrades | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Bariatric Surgery Current Events and Bariatric Surgery News Articles Physical activity after bariatric surgery improves weight loss, quality of life A new study by researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine suggests increased physical activity after bariatric surgery can yield better postoperative outcomes. Plastic surgeons warn of malnutrition in body contouring patients Identifying malnutrition before surgery in massive weight loss patients seeking body contouring will significantly decrease surgical complications, accelerate wound healing, improve scar quality and boost patient energy levels, according to a study in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Robotic Surgery Lowers Risk of a Rare but Serious Complication of Gastric Bypass The use of a robot to assist with the most commonly performed weight-loss surgery appears to significantly lower a patient's risk of developing a rare but serious complication, according to a study published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Robotic Surgery. Johns Hopkins researchers suppress 'hunger hormone' Johns Hopkins scientists report success in significantly suppressing levels of the "hunger hormone" ghrelin in pigs using a minimally invasive means of chemically vaporizing the main vessel carrying blood to the top section, or fundus, of the stomach. Study shows that surgical weight loss does not eliminate obstructive sleep apnea A study in the August 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that surgical weight loss results in an improvement of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but most patients continue to have moderate to severe OSA one year after undergoing bariatric surgery. ASGE issues guidelines on the role of endoscopy in the bariatric surgery patient The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has issued guidelines on the role of endoscopy in the bariatric surgery patient. Study links gastric bypass surgery to increased risk of kidney stones Morbidly obese patients who undergo a particular type of gastric bypass surgery called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are at an increased risk of developing kidney stones - small, pebble-like deposits that can result in severe pain and require an operation to remove them - earlier than previously thought. Weight-loss surgery can cut cancer risk Successful bariatric surgery allows morbidly obese patients to lose up to 70 percent of their excess weight and to maintain weight loss. Weight loss after gastric bypass surgery may protect against infection and cancer Another health benefit of bariatric weight-loss surgery may be a heightened immune defense against cancer and infections, a new study suggests. The results will be presented at The Endocrine Society's 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. Surgeons complete the first Lap-Band weight-loss surgery in Texas using single incision as entry point UT Southwestern Medical Center surgeons have completed the first single-incision Lap-Band weight-loss surgery in Texas. More Bariatric Surgery Current Events and Bariatric Surgery News Articles |
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