Hispanics and bypass surgery

According to a study published on the June 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology and performed by Dr. Luis R. Castellanos, Dr. Sharon-Lise T. Normand, and Dr.  John Z. Ayanian, Hispanics undergoing bypass surgery (isolated CABG or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting) in Massachusetts were more likely to be operated on by cardiac surgeons with higher risk-standardized mortality rates than by surgeons with lower rates.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Heart Care – Hispanics have increased chances of lower quality bypass surgery

For the purpose of this study, participating surgeons were divided into four groups based on their risk-standardized 30-day all-cause mortality incidence rates.

The results:

• White patients were more likely to be treated by surgeons with lower mortality rates than with lower mortality rates.
• Hispanic patients were almost 3 times more likely to be treated by surgeons with higher mortality incidence rates.
• Compared with whites, Hispanic patients were about half as less likely to be treated by surgeons with lower mortality incidence rates.
• African-American and white patients shared the same probabilities of being treated by higher and lower mortality incidence rate doctors.

In conclusion, Hispanics undergoing isolated CABG in Massachusetts were more likely to be operated on by cardiac surgeons with higher risk-standardized mortality rates than by surgeons with lower rates.

Dr. Castellanos was funded by the Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship in Minority Health Policy, Boston, Massachusetts, and data collection and analysis for this study were supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Source: The American Journal of Cardiology