Becker's ASC Review

58 GASTROENTEROLOGY Do top GI hospitals ranked by U.S. News have better outcomes? By Laura Dyrda P atients needing gastrointestinal cancer resections should consider un- dergoing procedures at high-volume regional medical centers like the top-ranked hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. An article published March 19 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons examined whether the U.S. News & World Report rankings predicted better outcomes for complex gastrointestinal cancer resec- tion procedures. Study authors analyzed data from the Vi- zient database for patients who underwent complex gastrointestinal cancer resections at 42 top-ranked hospitals and 197 un- ranked hospitals. Study authors found: 1. e mean case volume was four-fold higher at the top ranked hospitals than at the unranked hospitals. e ranked hospi- tals reported a mean of 73 GI cancer resec- tions performed annually while unranked hospitals reported a mean of 18 cases per year. 2. Top-ranked hospitals reported 0.96 percent mortality rate, lower than the 2.26 percent reported at unranked hospitals. 3. e mortality rate for patients with a seri- ous morbidity was 8.2 percent at top-ranked hospitals and 16.8 percent at unranked hospitals. 4. Both ranked and unranked hospitals reported similar length of stay, serious com- plication rates and direct costs. "Patients with complex GI-related malig- nancies may benefit from seeking surgical care at high-volume regional [U.S. News & World Report] top-ranked hospitals," con- cluded the study authors. n What's on the horizon for GI? 2 physicians weigh in By Carly Behm S hifts to telemedicine and changes in colorectal cancer screening have some gastroenterologists thinking about how their practices will evolve in the near future. Here's what two gastroenterologists anticipate for the next two to three years. Joe Feuerstein, MD. Gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medi- cal Center (Boston): I think the biggest change is how we are going to combine our clinical practice with telemedicine and develop a comfort with utilizing newer technologies to enhance our patients' experiences. Addi- tionally, I think we are going to be doing a variety of different options for CRC screening and will adopt more evidence-based guidelines for screen- ing and surveillance for colon cancer. Brian Dooreck, MD. Gastroenterologist at Memorial Hospital Pembroke (Pembroke Pines, Fla.): Our practice will continue to work smarter, hope- fully not harder, and leverage more of a position of strength against the insurance companies and other forces that fail to recognize the true cost of providing high-quality care in a dynamic and ever-evolving world. n One GI acquires 26-physician Ohio practice — 6 details By Alan Condon M emphis, Tenn.-based One GI has acquired Dayton (Ohio) Gastro- enterology, the second- largest independent GI practice in the state, the Dayton Business Journal reported March 24. Six notes: 1. One GI, backed by up to $80 million in capital through Webster Equity Partners, is a gastroenterology management services organization with practices in Tennessee, Mississippi and Ohio. 2. The acquisition will build economies of scale to help Dayton Gastroen- terology expand its presence, "potentially across state lines," according to Jonathan Saxe, MD, the practice's president. The practice aims to partner with independent groups with up to eight physicians. 3. Dayton Gastroenterology had considered consolidation for about two years and felt that One GI was the best fit for its culture and growth plans. It has 10 advanced practice providers, four sites of care and three endoscopy centers. 4. The practice expects no immediate changes to its name or branding. 5. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 6. One GI acquired the largest gastroenterology group in Louisville, Ky., by in April, bringing its number of physicians to about 96 across four states, according to the Journal. n

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