Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries After Cancer Surgery in Hospitals That Subsequently Closed

What were the postoperative and travel outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries who underwent colon or lung cancer surgery at hospitals that subsequently closed?In this cohort study of 558 708 Medicare beneficiares, undergoing cancer surgery at hospitals that subsequently closed was significantly associated with worse postoperative mortality and complications than undergoing surgery at hospitals that did not close. Most beneficiaries treated at their nearest hospital that subsequently closed had another surgical hospital nearby.These findings suggest that hospital closures may be associated with improved cancer surgical outcomes, with minimal increase in beneficiaries’ travel burden.

Corresponding Author: Min-Young Kim, MPH, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, Williamson Translational Research Building Level 5, Lebanon, NH 03756 (min-young.kim.gr@dartmouth.edu).

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