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Impact of surgeon-specific data reporting on surgical training
Omar A Khan1, Srikanth Iyengar, David E Pontefract
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK. omarkhan@iname.com
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
|November 15, 2007
Summary
Publication of surgeon-specific data (SSD) in UK cardiac surgery led to fewer cases performed by trainees. This included a significant reduction in complex valve procedures and unsupervised cases, impacting surgical training.
Area of Science:
- Cardiac Surgery
- Surgical Training
- Health Policy
Background:
- Mandatory surgeon-specific data (SSD) collection began in the UK in April 2002.
- Concerns exist that SSD publication may limit trainee case involvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of introducing surgeon-specific data (SSD) on surgical training.
- To assess changes in trainee case volume and supervision in a cardiac surgical center.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 2111 elective coronary artery bypass and valve surgeries.
- Comparison of data from two years before and two years after SSD implementation.
- Analysis of trainee case proportion and supervision levels.
Main Results:
- No significant change in overall patient mortality.
- Reduced proportion of cases performed by trainees (49% to 42.8%).
- Significant decrease in trainee-performed valve procedures and unsupervised cases.
Conclusions:
- Surgeon-specific data publication correlated with decreased trainee case volume and variety.
- Potential negative impact on the breadth and depth of surgical training.
- Further investigation needed on long-term training outcomes.