Teaching hospitals have more post-surgery problems

The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has surprised experts with its findings that teaching hospitals have more problems after surgery than non-teaching institutions. The study was published in the May issue of the Annals of Surgery. The majority of previous research has found just the opposite, sources tell Reuters.

In particular, teaching facilities have a 20 percent higher mortality rate after emergency surgeries, a 56 percent greater risk of developing a fistula, and a 14 percent higher infection rate than non-teaching hospitals. The rate of post-surgical death was the same for both types of facilities following elective surgeries, the study shows.

One bright spot for teaching hospitals: Their patients are 18 percent less likely to have an intestinal blockage than patients at a non-teaching facility

Researchers studied a national database of hospitalizations nationwide, drawn from 20 percent of U.S. hospitals.

To learn more:
- read the Reuters article
- check out the abstract in the Annals of Surgery