Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries After Cancer Surgery in Hospitals That Subsequently Closed
In this cohort study, undergoing colon and lung cancer surgery at hospitals that subsequently closed was associated with worse postoperative outcomes, but most beneficiaries treated at their nearest hospital had a nearby alternative hospital, suggesting that hospital closures may improve postoperative outcomes for cancer surgery, with minimal increase in travel burden, by directing patients to nearby, better-performing hospitals.
Authors
- Douglas O. Staiger
- Sandra Wong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1431-9437)
- Qianfei Wang
- Anna N. A. Tosteson
- Min-Young Kim
- Gabriel A. Brooks
Institutions
- Dartmouth College (US)
- Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (US)
- Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center (US)
- National Bureau of Economic Research (US)
- Emory University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- JAMA Network Open
- Published
- 2026-01-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.53704
- Primary Topic
- Healthcare Operations and Scheduling Optimization
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Dartmouth College
- Dartmouth Cancer Center
- National Institutes of Health
- National Cancer Institute