Rob Dillard

DocwireNews

<p>A new study published in the <i>JNCI Cancer Spectrum</i>, finds that one-star hospitals have markedly higher rates of mortality in complex <a href="https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/hem-onc-picks/low-income-patients-have-a-higher-risk-of-dying-follow-lung-cancer-surgery/">cancer surgeries</a> juxtaposed hospitals with a five-star rating.<p>To conduct this study, researchers evaluated the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services&rsquo; &ldquo;Star Rating&rdquo; system, which&nbsp; is based on 62 measurements (e.g. mortality, readmissions, patient experience), but is not specific to any medical operation or patient population. They assessed 105,823 patients (65 years and older) who underwent complex cancer procedures at 3,146 hospitals between 2013 and 2016. The patients had all been diagnosed with cancer of the lung, colon, stomach, esophagus, or pancreas. This group captures an estimated 80% of all high-risk cancer surgeries.</p><h2>A Troubling Find</h2><p>The results showed the mortality rate over a 90-day period was associated with the star system, with the greatest difference observed between the 1-star (10.4%) and 5-star (6.4%) hospitals. However, these rates varied by surgery type. The researchers noted that these findings are consistent with prior studies that have found that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services&rsquo; star rating system correlates with surgical mortality. And yet, the overall effectiveness of this system in choosing hospitals for complex cancer surgeries appears to be modest (84 lives per year), relative to other proposed strategies.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Study finds <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cancer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cancer</a> mortality rate disparity based on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hospital?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hospital</a> ratings <a href="https://t.co/VS1ghI1Cc3">https://t.co/VS1ghI1Cc3</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Medical Xpress (@physorg_health) <a href="https://twitter.com/physorg_health/status/1282773439527489537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2020</a></p>
</blockquote><p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&ldquo;For complex cancer care, choosing the right hospital may be as important as choosing the right treatment.,&rdquo; said Daniel Boffa, MD, in a <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-07/oupu-sfc071320.php">press release</a> about the study. &ldquo;In order for patients to select the best hospital for their situation, they need access to understandable information regarding the safety and quality of hospital care. Unfortunately, the CMS star-rating system, while clear and easy to access, does not appear to distinguish the safest from the least safe hospitals with enough separation to reliably guide cancer patient choice for complex surgical care.&rdquo;</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">News: Study finds cancer mortality rate disparity based on hospital ratings &ndash; <a href="https://t.co/JBJ29dQv8H">https://t.co/JBJ29dQv8H</a></p>
<p>&mdash; 7thSpace Interactive (@7thSpaceCom) <a href="https://twitter.com/7thSpaceCom/status/1282804510415560705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2020</a></p>
</blockquote><p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Study Finds Cancer Mortality Rate Disparity Based on Hospital Ratings <a href="https://t.co/D0FHnlxKz9">https://t.co/D0FHnlxKz9</a></p>
<p>&mdash; AboutHealthTransparency (@aht_org) <a href="https://twitter.com/aht_org/status/1282944946014748673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2020</a></p>
</blockquote><p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p><p>&nbsp;</p></p>


James Tumlin, MD

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP

Proteinuria Remission With Sparsentan in FSGS

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2025

Jordana Jampel

Glycan-Targeting Novel Vaccine Shows Promise for Vast Virus Protection

Infectious Disease

Sara Nunnery, MD, MSCI

Reclassifying HER2: What Oncologists Need to Know About HER2-Low and -Ultralow Breast Cancer

HER2 Breast Cancer

Latest News

Study: The Mortality Rate for Cancer Procedures is Significantly Higher in One-Star Hospitals

Oncology

A new study published in the JNCI Cancer Spectrum, finds that one-star hospitals have markedly higher rates of mortality in complex cancer surgeries juxtaposed hospitals with ...

About Us

Editorial Policy

Advertising

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Contribute

Career Center

MashupMD

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

GU Oncology Now

Urban Health Today

Bile Duct Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Gastroesophageal Cancer

Gastric Cancer

GEP-NETs

GIST

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

GI Oncology Now

Anemia

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Essential Thrombocythemia

Hemophilia

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Pulmonary Embolism

Sickle Cell Disease

Thrombocytopenia

Thrombophilia

Thrombosis

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Venous Thromboembolism

von Willebrand Disease

Heme Today

Acute Kidney Injury

ADPKD

Anemia and Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease

Diabetes and Hypertension

End-Stage Renal Disease

Gout

Hyperkalemia

IgAN

Kidney Transplantation

Metabolic Acidosis

Nephrology Times

HR Breast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers Today

Atherosclerotic Disease

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Interventional Cardiology

Lipid Management

Practice Tips With Dr. Lichaa

Preventive Cardiology

Stroke

Cardiology

Breast Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Skin Cancer

Sleep

Urology

Diabetes

Ophthalmology

— Demodex Blepharitis

Neurology

Rheumatology

Gastroenterology

Pulmonology

Infectious Diseases

— HIV

Health and Wellness

Lupus

Future of Medicine

Orthopedics

Pharmacology

Career News

More

Conferences

CardioNerds

The Sleep Source With Dr. Morse

Rheumatology Rounds With Dr. Maheswaranathan

Partners

Expert Interviews

Subscribe