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Smith RN, Freedberg M, Bailey J, DeMoya M, Goldberg A, Staudenmayer K. The importance and benefits of defining full-time equivalence in the field of acute care surgery. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open 2024; 9:e001307. [PMID: 38974220 PMCID: PMC11227842 DOI: 10.1136/tsaco-2023-001307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute care surgery (ACS) encompasses five major pillars - trauma, surgical critical care, emergency general surgery, elective general surgery and surgical rescue. The specialty continues to evolve and due to high-acuity, high-volume and around-the-clock care, the workload can be significant leading to workforce challenges such as rightsizing of staff, work-life imbalance, surgeon burnout and more. To address these challenges and ensure a stable workforce, ACS as a specialty must be deliberate and thoughtful about how it manages workload and workforce going forward. In this article, we address the importance, benefits and challenges of defining full-time equivalence for ACS as a method to establish a stable ACS workforce for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randi N Smith
- Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mari Freedberg
- Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Marc DeMoya
- Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Amy Goldberg
- Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Quaile O, Perrodin SF, Trippel A, Schnüriger B. Characteristics of emergency general surgery services in Switzerland: a nationwide survey. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 2024; 50:259-268. [PMID: 37470790 PMCID: PMC10923733 DOI: 10.1007/s00068-023-02272-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Running an emergency general surgery (EGS) service is challenging and requires significant personnel and institutional resources. The aim of this study was to achieve a nationwide overview of the individual EGS service organizations in public hospitals in Switzerland. METHODS All Swiss public hospitals with a surgical and emergency department were included and contacted by telephone. General surgeons were interviewed between December 2021 and January 2022 using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS Seventy-two out of 79 public hospitals in Switzerland (91.1%) agreed to the survey. They employed 1,581 surgeons in 19 (26.4%) hospitals with < 100 beds, 39 (54.2%) hospitals with 100-300 beds, 7 (9.7%) with 300-600 beds, and 7 (9.7%) with > 600 beds. The median number of surgeons per hospital was 20.5 (IQR 13.0-29.0). Higher level of care (intermediate or intensive care unit) was significantly less available in small hospitals (< 100 beds). The median hour of designated emergency operating room capacity per day was 14 h (IQR 14-24) for all hospitals with < 600 beds and 24 h (IQR 14-24) for the largest hospitals (> 600 beds). With increasing hospital size, there was a significant increase in the number of surgical units where EGS and orthopedic trauma surgery were covered by two separate teams (21.1% vs. 43.6% vs. 85.7% vs. 100%, p = 0.035). The median number of surgeons on-call per hospital and per 24 h was 5.0 (IQR 3.3-6.0). CONCLUSION Lack of higher level of care in small hospitals, limited emergency OR capacity and short rotations of on-call teams are major drawbacks of many current EGS systems in Switzerland. Centralization of critically ill EGS patients and reorganization of surgical on-call systems to designated acute care surgery teams should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Quaile
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stéphanie Fabienne Perrodin
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Amedeo Trippel
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Beat Schnüriger
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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Carmichael SP, Kline DM, Mowery NT, Miller PR, Meredith JW, Hanchate AD. Geographic Variation in Operative Management of Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction. J Surg Res 2023; 286:57-64. [PMID: 36753950 PMCID: PMC10034859 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Variation in surgical management exists nationally. We hypothesize that geographic variation exists in adhesive small bowel obstruction (aSBO) management. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis of a national commercial insurance claims database (MarketScan) sample (2017-2019) was performed in adults with hospital admission due to aSBO. Geographic variation in rates of surgical intervention for aSBO was evaluated by state and compared to a risk-adjusted national baseline using a Bayesian spatial rates Poisson regression model. For individual-level analysis, patients were identified in 2018, with 365-d look back and follow-up periods. Logistic regression was performed for individual-level predictors of operative intervention for aSBO. RESULTS Two thousand one hundred forty-five patients were included. State-level analysis revealed rates of operative intervention for aSBO were significantly higher in Missouri and lower in Florida. On individual-level analysis, age (P < 0.01) and male sex (P < 0.03) but not comorbidity profile or prior aSBO, were negatively associated with undergoing operative management for aSBO. Patients presenting in 2018 with a history of admission for aSBO the year prior experienced a five-fold increase in odds of representation (odds ratio: 5.4, 95% confidence interval: 3.1-9.6) in 2019. Patients who received an operation for aSBO in 2018 reduced the odds of readmission in the next year by 77% (odds ratio: 0.23, 95% confidence interval: 0.1-0.5). The volume of operations performed within a state did not influence readmission. CONCLUSIONS Surgical management of aSBO varies across the continental USA. Operative intervention is associated with decreased rates of representation in the following year. These data highlight a critical need for standardized guidelines for emergency general surgery patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel P Carmichael
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
| | - David M Kline
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Nathan T Mowery
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Preston R Miller
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - J Wayne Meredith
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Amresh D Hanchate
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Social Science and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Madabhushi VV, Bautista RMF, Davenport DL, Evers BM, Judge JM, Bhakta AS. Impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion on Reimbursement in Emergency General Surgery. J Gastrointest Surg 2022; 26:191-196. [PMID: 33963499 DOI: 10.1007/s11605-021-05028-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kentucky had one of the nation's largest increases in insurance coverage with the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Medicaid expansion, quadrupling the proportion of Kentuckians with insurance coverage. This study compares reimbursement rates for surgical procedures performed by emergency general surgery (EGS) services at the University of Kentucky (UK) before and after Medicaid expansion in January 2014. METHODS This IRB-approved, single-institution study retrospectively evaluated all patients undergoing surgical treatment by our EGS team from 1/1/2011 to 12/31/2016. We queried operative records for the most frequently performed procedures by the EGS service. We reviewed patient electronic medical records and hospital financial records to identify insurance status, diagnosis codes, and expected hospital reimbursements, based on UK Hospital's procedure/payer accounting models. RESULTS Four thousand six hundred ninety-three patient procedures met inclusion criteria; 46.5% of these came before ACA expansion and 53.5% after expansion. The most frequent procedures performed were incision and drainage, laparoscopic appendectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and exploratory laparotomy. After ACA expansion, the proportion of patients with Medicaid nearly doubled (19.8% vs. 35.6%, p < 0.001). Concomitantly, there was a more than fivefold decrease in the uninsured patient population after expansion (23.3% vs. 4.6%, p < 0.001), and mean hospital reimbursement increased for laparoscopic appendectomy (13.7%, p < 0.001), laparoscopic cholecystectomy (50.7%, p < 0.001), and incision and drainage (70.2%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION After ACA expansion, there was a sustained decrease in proportion of uninsured patients and a concomitant sustained increase in proportion of patients with access to Medicaid services in the EGS operative population, leading to increased mean hospital reimbursements and decreased patient financial burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vashisht V Madabhushi
- Graduate Medical Education, General Surgery Residency Program, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Robert-Marlo F Bautista
- Graduate Medical Education, General Surgery Residency Program, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Daniel L Davenport
- Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Division of Health Outcomes and Optimal Patient Services, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - B Mark Evers
- Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Joshua M Judge
- Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Avinash S Bhakta
- Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
- University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose St., C 233, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
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van der Wee MJL, van der Wilden G, Hoencamp R. Acute Care Surgery Models Worldwide: A Systematic Review. World J Surg 2021; 44:2622-2637. [PMID: 32377860 PMCID: PMC7326827 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-020-05536-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background The Acute Care Surgery (ACS) model was developed as a dedicated service for the provision of 24/7 nontrauma emergency surgical care. This systematic review investigated which components are essential in an ACS model and the state of implementation of ACS models worldwide. Methods A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane library, and Web of Science databases. All relevant data of ACS models were extracted from included articles. Results The search identified 62 articles describing ACS models in 13 countries. The majority consist of a dedicated nontrauma emergency surgical service, with daytime on-site attending coverage (cleared from elective duties), and 24/7 in-house resident coverage. Emergency department coverage and operating room access varied widely. Critical care is fully embedded in the original US model as part of the acute care chain (ACC), but is still a separate unit in most other countries. While in most European countries, ACS is not a recognized specialty yet, there is a tendency toward more structured acute care. Conclusions Large national and international heterogeneity exists in the structure and components of the ACS model. Critical care is still a separate component in most systems, although it is an essential part of the ACC to provide the best pre-, intra- and postoperative care of the physiologically deranged patient. Universal acceptance of one global ACS model seems challenging; however, a global consensus on essential components would benefit any healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mats J L van der Wee
- Alrijne Hospital, Leiderdorp, The Netherlands. .,Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Gwendolyn van der Wilden
- Alrijne Hospital, Leiderdorp, The Netherlands.,Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rigo Hoencamp
- Alrijne Hospital, Leiderdorp, The Netherlands.,Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Defense Healthcare Organization, Ministry of Defense, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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