Increasing Specialization in Cancer Surgery
Author Information
Author(s): Jolly K, Parry J, Rouse A, Stevens A
Primary Institution: Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Birmingham
Hypothesis
Is there evidence of increasing sub-specialization by surgeons in cancer surgery?
Conclusion
The study found that the proportion of cancer cases treated by high-volume surgeons increased over five years, although some surgeries were still performed by low-volume surgeons.
Supporting Evidence
- The proportion of cases treated by high-volume surgeons increased annually during the 5 years.
- The absolute number of consultant firms performing breast cancer resections reduced during the 5 years.
- The number of firms doing colorectal and ovarian surgery increased over the same period.
- Half of the ovarian cancer resections were performed by firms doing very few procedures.
Takeaway
The study looked at how many cancer surgeries are done by specialized doctors, and it found that more surgeries are being done by doctors who do a lot of them, but some doctors still do very few.
Methodology
Analysis of 5 years of Hospital Episode Statistics for the West Midlands region.
Limitations
The study only covers a specific region and time period, which may not represent broader trends.
Participant Demographics
Patients with breast, colorectal, and ovarian cancer in the West Midlands region.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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