An Analysis of Shoulder Surgeon Volume on Surgeon Competency, Hospital Costs, and Adverse Events: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the impact of shoulder surgeon volume of common shoulder procedures on hospital/surgeon efficiency, adverse events, and hospital costs.

Methods: Four online databases (PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and CENTRAL) were searched for literature on the influence of surgeon volume on outcomes for shoulder surgery, from data inception to October 1, 2020. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies tool was used to assess study quality. Data are presented descriptively.

Results: Twelve studies encompassing 150,898 patients were included in this review. The distribution of surgery type was rotator cuff repair (53.7%;  = 81,066), shoulder arthroplasty (35.7%;  = 53,833), and ORIF (10.6%;  = 15,999). Higher surgeon volume for rotator cuff repairs was associated with lower surgical time, length of stay, costs, and reoperation/readmission rates. For shoulder arthroplasty, higher surgeon volume was associated with lower length of stay, costs, surgical time, non-routine disposition, blood loss, reoperation/readmission, and complications. As for ORIF, higher surgeon volume was associated with lower length of stay, costs, and complications.

Conclusion: A high surgical volume leads to improved results for hospital/surgeon efficiency and reduces adverse events and hospital costs across various orthopaedic procedures. Hospitals and physicians can use this information to develop and adhere to policies and practices that contribute to more efficient and better-quality care for patients.

Level Of Evidence: III.