Association for Academic Surgery Emergency Surgery Rates Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Access Sensitive Surgical Conditions

Introduction: Access sensitive surgical conditions should be treated electively with optimal access but result in emergency operations when access is limited. However, the rates of emergency procedures for these conditions are unknown. Methods: Cross-sectio nal retrospective review of Medicare beneficiaries who underwent access sensitive surgical procedures (abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, colectomy for colorectal cancer, or incisional hernia repair) between 2014 and 2018. Risk-adjusted outcomes using a multivariable logistical regression that adjusted for patient factors (age, sex, race, and Elixhauser comorbidities), hospital characteristics (ownership, size, geographic region, surgical volume) and type of operation were compared between planned and emergency (urgent and emergent) surgical procedures. Outcome measures were rates of emergency procedures as well as associated postoperative outcomes. Results: Of the 744,818 Medicare beneficiaries undergoing access sensitive surgical procedures, 259,541 (34.9%) were done in the emergency setting. Risk-adjusted rates of emergency surgery varied widely across hospital service areas from 23.28% (lowest decile) to 54.88% (highest decile) (Odds Ratio 4.74; P < 0.001). Emergency procedures were associated with significantly higher rates of 30-d mortality (8.15% versus 3.65%, P < 0.001) and readmissions (16.28% versus 12.88%, P < 0.001) compared to elective procedures. Sensitivity analysis with younger and healthier beneficiaries demonstrated persistently high rates (23.3 %) of emergency surgery with wide regional variation and worse patient outcomes.