Effects of race on operative, nonoperative management of emergency general surgery conditions

Editor's Note

This study from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, examines whether the decision to operate or not operate for an emergency general surgery condition affects Black and White patients differently.

A total of 556,087 Medicare patients (59,519 Black and 496,568 White) were included in the analysis. Overall, 165,932 (29.8%) were managed operatively, and 390,155 (70.2%) were managed nonoperatively.

Outcomes included in-hospital and 30-day mortality, nonroutine discharge, and 30-day readmissions.

Though there were significant outcomes differences between operative and nonoperative management of patients, there were no significant differences for the effect of race on outcomes, the researchers say.