Variation in surgical outcomes across highest-rated hospitals

Editor's Note

Risk-adjusted surgical outcomes vary widely across hospitals within networks that are on the Honor Roll of the US News & World Report, this study finds.

In this analysis of 87 hospitals and 143,174 patients, outcomes were not consistently better at Honor Roll hospitals compared with network affiliates. For example: Honor Roll hospitals had lower failure to rescue rates (13.3% vs 15.1%) but higher complication rates (22.1% vs 18.0%).

Within networks, differences in failure to rescue varied from 1.1 to 4.9 fold. Complication rates also varied across networks from 1.1 to 4.3 fold.

Tracking outcomes at Honor Roll hospitals may help drive changes in the overall quality, safety, and consistency of care in regional delivery networks, the researchers say.