Outcomes, costs associated with appendectomy in safety-net hospitals

Editor's Note

Safety-net hospitals treat a disproportionate number of patients with advanced appendicitis and use laparoscopy less often, but their rates of morbidity and costs are similar to other hospitals, this study finds.

In this analysis of 349 nonfederally funded hospitals in California performing 274,405 appendectomies, safety-net (compared with non-safety-net) hospitals had:

• lower rates of laparoscopy
• higher rates of perforated appendicitis
• similar rates of negative appendectomy and postoperative morbidity
• longer lengths of stay
• no difference in overall costs.

Safety net hospitals exceeded expectations and performed favorably in treating patients with appendicitis, the researchers note.

This database review evaluates the association of safety-net hospital burden with the outcomes of appendectomy.