Association of Rectal Cancer Accreditation with Patient Volume and Procedural Trends in the US

Is National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) accreditation associated with changes in rectal cancer patient volume, procedural volume, and care fragmentation at accredited hospitals?In this difference-in-differences study, NAPRC accreditation was associated with a statistically significant increase of approximately 4 additional patients with rectal cancer per year at accredited centers compared with nonaccredited centers. Procedural volumes for early-stage (stage I) rectal cancer significantly increased, whereas procedural volumes for locally advanced (stage II/III) disease did not change, a pattern consistent with national treatment trends; accreditation was not associated with increased care fragmentation.In this study, NAPRC accreditation was associated with increased overall patient and early-stage procedural volumes without worsening care fragmentation, supporting its potential institutional and clinical value in rectal cancer care.

Corresponding Author: Anthony Loria, MD, MSCI, Surgical Health Outcomes Research Enterprise (SHORE), University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box Surg, Rochester, NY 14620 (anthony_loria@urmc.rochester.edu).

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