Updated December 30, 2014.
Many of us have talked about the pros and cons of receiving care at a teaching hospital. Having experienced both, as a clinician and a patient, I have heard the common arguments. In private practice, I had patients request residents not see them. They only wanted to talk to their own doctor (me.) As a fledgling medical student, I remember comments as well. ?When do I get to see a real doctor?? A well-deserved comment since I probably looked as if I had a few years to go before I would be old enough to drive a car.
Given this bias, what does the research say about teaching hospitals ? at least with regard to lung cancer surgery?
A recent study found that patients that underwent lung cancer surgery at a teaching hospital, that is a hospital that has resident physicians in training, had a 17% lower chance of dying in the hospital following surgery. This study looked at over 45,000 patients that had lung cancer surgery between 1998 and 2004.
I could speculate a dozen reasons for this, but it brought to mind the most common complaint I heard from patients about teaching hospitals. They had to repeat their story over and over again up the ranks of physicians in training. It can be tiring being asked about your needs and concerns repeatedly. If you choose care at a teaching hospital, perhaps recalling the old cliché that two minds - or five - or ten, are better than one, might ease the annoyance of speaking to yet another fledgling physician.
I would love to hear about your experience as a cancer patient at a teaching hospital!
Reference:
Are surgical outcomes for lung cancer resections improved at teaching hospitals? 2008. Mequid, R. et al. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 85(3):1015-24
Many of us have talked about the pros and cons of receiving care at a teaching hospital. Having experienced both, as a clinician and a patient, I have heard the common arguments. In private practice, I had patients request residents not see them. They only wanted to talk to their own doctor (me.) As a fledgling medical student, I remember comments as well. ?When do I get to see a real doctor?? A well-deserved comment since I probably looked as if I had a few years to go before I would be old enough to drive a car.
Given this bias, what does the research say about teaching hospitals ? at least with regard to lung cancer surgery?
A recent study found that patients that underwent lung cancer surgery at a teaching hospital, that is a hospital that has resident physicians in training, had a 17% lower chance of dying in the hospital following surgery. This study looked at over 45,000 patients that had lung cancer surgery between 1998 and 2004.
I could speculate a dozen reasons for this, but it brought to mind the most common complaint I heard from patients about teaching hospitals. They had to repeat their story over and over again up the ranks of physicians in training. It can be tiring being asked about your needs and concerns repeatedly. If you choose care at a teaching hospital, perhaps recalling the old cliché that two minds - or five - or ten, are better than one, might ease the annoyance of speaking to yet another fledgling physician.
I would love to hear about your experience as a cancer patient at a teaching hospital!
Reference:
Are surgical outcomes for lung cancer resections improved at teaching hospitals? 2008. Mequid, R. et al. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 85(3):1015-24
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