Patient complaints identify surgeons with higher rates of postop complications

Editor's Note

Patients whose surgeons had large numbers of patient complaints about rude and disrespectful behavior had a significantly increased risk of postoperative complications and being readmitted, this study finds.

Of 32,125 patients included in the study, 3,501 (11%) had a postoperative complication (5.5% surgical, 7.5% medical).

The adjusted rate of complications was 13.9% higher for patients whose surgeons were in the highest quartile of patient complaints compared with those in the lowest quartile.

Efforts to promote patient safety should focus on a surgeon’s ability to communicate respectfully and effectively with patients and other team members, the authors say.

This cohort study uses data from the American College of Surgeons NSQIP and the Vanderbilt Patient Advocacy Reporting System to examine whether patients of surgeons with a history of higher numbers of unsolicited patient observations are at greater risk for postoperative complications than patients...