RT Journal
A1 Francis ML, Scaife SL, Zahnd WE
T1 RUral-urban differences in surgical procedures for medicare beneficiaries
JF Archives of Surgery
JO Archives of Surgery
YR 2011
FD May 1
VO 146
IS 5
SP 579
OP 583
DO 10.1001/archsurg.2010.306
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.2010.306
AB 
There are well-documented disparities in who receives surgical procedures based on sex, race, and ethnicity.1- 7 There are also concerns about whether there is a disparity in health care services provided to rural residents.8- 9 Removing disparities is a health care priority, and good health care should not depend on where people live. Moreover, a disparity in the provision of care to rural residents would also have significant implications for the allocation of health care resources. It is becoming increasingly clear, for instance, that patient outcomes are better with hospitals and surgeons performing a higher volume of a given procedure.10- 12 While these results may argue against having outlying rural hospitals that perform a low volume of a given procedure, this approach must be balanced against the risk that rural patients may not receive a needed procedure if there are no nearby hospitals and surgeons.