Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30251138›Full record

ArticleSurgical endoscopy2019

The value of surgical experience: excess costs associated with the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass learning curve.

Aristithes G Doumouras, Fady Saleh, Scott Gmora, Mehran Anvari, Dennis Hong

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Aristithes G DoumourasDepartment of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0543-3177
Fady SalehDivision of General Surgery, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Scott GmoraDepartment of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Mehran AnvariDepartment of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Dennis HongDepartment of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. dennishong70@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGastric bypass has a steep learning curve that is associated with increased adverse outcomes and these adverse outcomes are associated with increases in cost. This study sought to quantify the effect of cumulative procedure volume on inpatient cost and characterize the excess cost associated with a surgeon's learning curve.

methodsThis was a retrospective study of 29 high-volume surgeons during the first 6 years of performing gastric bypass in a regionalized center of excellence system. Cumulative volume was determined using the procedure date and analyzed in blocks of 25 cases. The main outcomes of interest were inpatient cost for the initial hospital stay in 2014 Canadian dollars as well as prolonged length of stay (≥ 3 days).

resultsOverall, 11,684 cases were identified from April 2009 to March 2015. After a surgeon's 50th case, the adjusted inpatient cost decreased by $2775 (95% CI $- 4352 to $- 1204 p = 0.001) compared to the first 25 cases. Cost savings were maintained through a surgeon's 400th case. The average cost savings after the 50th case was $2082 (95% CI $- 3194 to $- 962 p < 0.001) and the excess cost attributable to the first 50 cases was $104,077 (95% CI 48,104 to 159,682) per surgeon. Surgeon experience was also associated with a decrease odds of prolonged length of stay.

conclusionsThis study demonstrated the influence of surgeon experience on improved cost efficiencies. We also characterized that the average excess cost per surgeon of implementing gastric bypass was approximately $104,000. This is relevant to future health system planning as well as providing an economic incentive for impactful training interventions.

Indexed as

Hospital CostsLearning CurveClinical CompetenceGastric BypassHumansLength of StayLongitudinal StudiesOntarioRetrospective StudiesBariatric surgeryCostsLearning curve

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.